Dissolution proceedings initiated against the Antifascist Group Lyon and surroundings
[Info Rue89Lyon] A dissolution procedure was initiated this Thursday, March 17 by the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, against the anti-fascist group Lyon and surroundings, otherwise known as “GALE”.
After the media Nantes revolted, it is now an anti-fascist group from Lyon that is in the sights of Gérald Darmanin. On March 17, the Antifascist Group Lyon and surroundings – known by the acronym GALE – was notified of a dissolution procedure, which Rue89Lyon was able to consult, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior to meet them. If this were to succeed, it would be the first time that an anti-fascist group has been dissolved in France.
“I think we are the first of a long series. »
“We expected it a bit, recognizes Florent (the first name has been changed), a long-time anti-fascist from Lyon, contacted by Rue89Lyon. As it had failed with Nantes Révoltée, we had to say that in the end, they might not be going after us. »
The motivations for this dissolution procedure are spread over three pages and date back to the beginnings of the anti-fascist group in 2014. Demonstrations, Facebook posts, tweets, relays on social networks… Everything has been scrutinized.
“We will have to dissect everything, laments Florent. We are reproached for all the demonstrations that we have been able to call on to join and which have gone off the rails, even if we were not there. We are also criticized a lot for our posts on Twitter and Facebook, since 2014. As well as everything on the Livre Noir video shot during the last Antifa Fest. »
Many elements rewarded, without anything very concrete however, affirms the young man.
“With all these reasons, we can dissolve a lot of groups in France, among antifascists or radical ecology, observes Florent. I think we’re the first of a long series. »
“We are treated exactly like Identity Generation! »
A year earlier, almost to the day, the Council of Ministers had acted the dissolution of the far-right group Identity Generation, based in Lyons. A relative measure, since its members continue their activities under another name, in premises that have remained open as we explain in this article.
“We are treated exactly like Generation Identity, it’s crazy! Florent continues. I understand that we dissolve organizations that advocate discrimination, but we have nothing to do with it. We’ve been fighting for years so that we don’t get turned on our backs with the far right. Today is a step back. We can’t start saying that the resistance fighters weren’t very cool because they attacked the Nazis! »
For him, this notification of the dissolution of an anti-fascist group denotes a dangerous drift by the government, which could worsen according to the candidate elected next April to the Presidency of the French Republic:
“We are accused of criticizing the state and the French police system on social networks. We are clearly told to stop criticizing otherwise we will be shut up. »
Calls for the dissolution of the Antifascist Group Lyon and surroundings
As early as December 2021, GALE had been threatened with dissolution following anti-police proposals held during a concert at the Lyon Antifa Fest. The President of the Region, Laurent Wauquiez, had even announced to the association which usually hosted the event, the CCO of Villeurbanne, that it risked having its subsidies reduced if it received the 2021 edition of the Lyon Antifa Fest. Even though the festival was not yet displayed on the room’s program. Finally, the event had to move to Grrrnd Zero, in Vaulx-en-Velin.
In January, GALE called for joining the mobilization organized in Lyon on March 5 against the agrochemical giant Bayer-Monsanto. In the process, local elected officials from the right and the center had asked for the dissolution of the anti-fascist group.
It seems that they have been heard. GALE activists now have ten days to defend themselves. Their lawyers are already working on a defense strategy. For them too, this is a first.
Mobilizations in support of the anti-fascist group should be announced next week on the social networks of the “September 23 support committee”.