Alternative libertaire faced with an unusual repression

france / belgium / luxemburg | repression / prisoners | press release

Saturday June 17, 2006 04:36

by Alternative libertaire - AL

An urgent appeal for support

Today, Alternative libertaire is the target of a repression unusual in scope and timing: in less than 3 weeks, 6 AL activists have been targeted. Each time, the link has been the same: the challenge to State racism and antisocial policy, whose latest avatar is the so-called “Law of Chance Equality”, known by its French acronym CPE. This law generated 12 weeks of exemplary social struggle that ended with the CPE's withdrawal. Today, the State wants Alternative libertaire to pay for the role it played in the strikes and blockades.

An urgent appeal for support

Alternative libertaire faced with an unusual repression

The goal of repression is to silence the social revolts that an unjust society necessarily generates: the revolts of undocumented workers, anti-GMO activists, the November 2005 rioters, anti-CPE strikers. What these struggles have in common is self-evident.

Today, Alternative libertaire is the target of a repression unusual in scope and timing: in less than three (3) weeks, six (6) AL activists have been targeted. Each time, the link has been the same: the challenge to State racism and antisocial policy, whose latest avatar is the so-called “Law of Chance Equality”, known by its French acronym CPE. This law generated twelve (12) weeks of exemplary social struggle that ended with the CPE's withdrawal. Today, the State wants Alternative libertaire to pay for the role it played in the strikes and blockades.

* In Rennes, the city where opposition was broader and more fierce, our comrades and friends Tristan and François are accused of and will face charges, respectively, for “insults and threats” and “death threats” against the leader of the strike-breakers, a math teacher at the University of Rennes II. These charges are motivated, of course, by revenge. They are directed against two (2) student unionists known throughout Rennes for their militancy. The accusations are motivated by the bitterness of the math teacher's public humiliation at the hands of the mass of revolting students and, with the withdrawal of the CPE, by the State's political defeat. Tristan is a particularly eagerly-sought target as he recently received a order to appear before officials to answer questions relating to “facts linked to the anti-CPE movement”. The trial begins July 13th at the Rennes TGI. Court supporters will gather at 3pm.

* In Rouen our comrade Pierre, an out-of-work member of the unemployed committee, was arrested while putting up posters. For him, a fine of 150 euro is more then a penalty.

* In Paris, on June 4th, as police concluded an anti-immigrant raid in the Belleville neighborhood and prepared to leave the scene, a small crowd gathered to protest their actions with anti-racists slogans. Four (4) people, including Valentin and Emmanuel, activists from Alternative libertaire, were arrested and held for 24 hours. Trial begins on July 6th for Valentin, Emmanuel and Manuel, and on the 13th for Jean-Baptiste.
These comrades need support during the proceedings.

* In Aix-en-Provence, on June 1st, students from the Literature faculty of Aix-en-Provence University shut down the first part of the “national university-employment debate”. This masquerade, under the guise of “answering the students' concerns”, was supposed to help French Prime Minister Villepin rebuild his image after the failure of the CPE. On June 7th, students, angry that police had been summoned by the university to allow only pro-CPE bosses and administrators to gain access to a second
"national debate", tried to disrupt it with the help of foghorns and songs. Following a scuffle, Jean-Pascal, an activist from Alternative libertaire, was snatched from the ranks of the demonstrators and beaten by police, after which he was arrested and put into prison. The following day, three (3) activists, including one from AL, where the victims of targeted arrests by the anti-criminality brigade. Thanks to the union and political mobilisation, and the action of our lawyers, Jean-Pascal, Reda, Valentin and Pierre-Louis escaped immediate appearance in front of a judge. They have been placed under judicial control and are forbidden to leave the area until their trial for “violence against a police officer” and “insult and rebellion”. This use of police repression on the part of the State through political and university institutions is purely and simply vengence against known student militants who were on the front lines of the struggle against the CPE. Trial and support gathering begins on July 19th at the TGI d’Aix-en-Provence.

A call for solidarity

Alternative libertaire is a small organisation with limited financial ressources. We rely exclusively on membership dues, subscription to our newspaper and funds from the Friends of AL. Of course, we get no subsidies and have no rich benefactors. These trials wil carry a financial cost. The only mean AL has to face these attacks is to get an helping hand from all good-willed people, whether or not they agree with our politics, but who are ready to be in solidarity against repression.

How to help us?

* By publishing and circulating this appeal, if you have a web site or a press organ;

* By sending a check made out to SIA with “Solidarité répression” written on the back and send to Alternative libertaire, BP 295, 75921 PARIS Cedex 19.

Be sure that we will thank all those who answer our call.

Coordination fédérale d’Alternative libertaire
June 10th 2006

[Translated by NEFAC.]

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Alternative libertaire faced with an unusual repression

An urgent appeal for support

Alternative libertaire faced with an unusual repression

A call for solidarity

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