Feminists attacked by CGT union goons during Paris demonstration

A protester injured by the CGT Sevice d'Ordre
Injured protester

Communiqué following the violent attack on five women by the CGT Service d’Ordre at the demonstration on the 12th of September.

Submitted by jef costello on September 18, 2017

Tuesday 12th September : during the demonstration against the XXL employment law, members of the CGT Service d’Ordre (SO) attacked militant feminists. One of them finished up in casualty with contusions to the head, contusions with haematoma from her cheek to her eyebrow and a sprained left wrist. Each of them suffered multiple contusions and haematomas.

"At the end of the demonstration we were watching the marchers go by when a member of the SO started to hurl abuse at us. When one of us reacted to their sexism the SO (roughly 20 men) attacked us."

" I was hit in the face, one of them grabbed me from behind and punched me in the eye. I tried to get free but several of them grabbed hold of me and one of them twisted my arm violently, then they hit me several times in the temple and on the top of the head using their helmets. The second they started to hit me I heard my friends shouting and reacting."

"I saw my comradehit in the face by at least three men. I tried to go and help her but I was grabbed by the throat from behind, forced down and then held on the ground. At least two men then started to drag me towards the centre of the group of SO. My comrades yelled at them to let me go and had to intervene physicallt and pull me free, the men holding me on the ground refused to let me go, even though I already had an injury on my hand from a grenade. "

"Seeing my comrade hit in the face I moved towards her, I was immobilised by several men from the SO and violently shoved in the chest. I turned and saw another comrade on the floor being dragged into the middle of the group. I pulled free and yelled at them to let her go. I pulled one man’s arm, he let her go and pushed me in the side. We were surrounded by at least 10 men who blocked our escape and watched all this happen. "

"I wanted to help my comrade but I was immediately grabbed by the shoulder by one of the SO who kicked my legs out from under me, throwing me onto the floor into a puddle. "

"I saw my comrades in toruble, I went to help them but was pushed back violently by the SO, injuring my previously dislocated finger. "

We are militant feminists from different collectives, groups and unions and we condemn this incredibly violent attack.

We want to publicise the complete solidarity within the SO, including when they are beating up militant feminists.

We are deeply concerned by the complete lack of a reaction from demonstrators who observed the scene, and what that means in terms of the normalisation of violence against women.

Fear should be on the other side, including during demonstrations.

We want to publicise the fact that the militant scene is still creating sexist attacks, reproducing patriarchal violence and tolerating the most serious attacks against women.

We insist that our demonstrations, like all other collective structure must be spaces where women can attend without fear for their integrity or safety.

We demand a clear condemnation of this attack, perpetrated by the SO, from collectives, groups and unions.

An injury to one is an injury to all !
The class struggle is feminist !

Text translated from Paris Luttes.

Comments

Spikymike

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Spikymike on September 18, 2017

From a previous post:
https://libcom.org/gallery/images-french-cgt-unions-services-dordre-stewards
For those no familiar with CGT Service d'Ordre.

Steven.

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on September 18, 2017

That's absolutely appalling, even for the thugs of the CGT SO. Have they tried to give justification for it?

Khawaga

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Khawaga on September 18, 2017

Absolutely disgusting. CGT SO doing the job of the state.

kuro

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by kuro on September 19, 2017

Apparently the CGT hire private security for their rallies which seems very odd..

jef costello

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by jef costello on September 19, 2017

No official response from the CGT, I don't think that there will be one. IT isn't a big scandal that they will want to spin.

According to other posters the CGT SO is often made up of people who have got their jobs through CGT patronage. At the march on September 12th members of the SO claimed to be in Vigi, which is the CGT's police union. In general the SO is more concerned with policing demonstrations than protecting demonstrators. They collaborate with police and try to prevent any unsanctioned actions. So for example if a group tries to break away from the march they will try to stop them.

Steven.

6 years 6 months ago

In reply to by libcom.org

Submitted by Steven. on September 19, 2017

jef costello

in general the SO is more concerned with policing demonstrations than protecting demonstrators. They collaborate with police and try to prevent any unsanctioned actions. So for example if a group tries to break away from the march they will try to stop them.

yeah I can confirm this, I remember being on a May Day demonstration in Paris, maybe around 2004? Anyway these arseholes had retractable batons and were extremely aggressive and violent towards anarchists on the march