They marched by the thousands.
None had a mask.
Some wore yellow vests.
In the crowd, a protester carried a sign with these three words: "No more confinement".
This rally against health measures brought together, on Saturday, between 15,000 and 20,000 people in the German city of Cassel.
The same day, in Europe, similar events were organized in England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Austria.
In France, the movement has not taken, or very little.
Director of research at the CNRS, specialist in social movements, Albert Ogien readily admits: it is "disturbing".
"You have to be humble in the face of the facts, and rather look at why there are demonstrations elsewhere", explains the researcher to the Parisian.
And the expert clarified his thoughts: "The first source of mobilization - we have seen it in the United States, in Germany, in Italy - is the propaganda of the extreme right and its parties, which use the Covid-19 and health measures to stir up protest against governments.
"
In Germany, thousands of protesters gather every weekend, in different cities, against government measures, at the call of the Querdenker movement in which the far right and far left are gathering.
In Austria, the Freedom Party organized several demonstrations, bringing together thousands of people.
In Spain and Italy, the various far-right parties have also called on several occasions to take to the streets.
A calculated strategy of the far right
In France, apart from a large gathering, more festive than militant, which gathered 1,000 people on Sunday in Annecy (Haute-Savoie), the anti-restriction movement is limited to a few dozen people, at best a few hundred.
For now, France has not known, like its neighbors, huge demonstrations against the mask or health measures.
"It is not because there are no large gatherings that there is no dispute", notes however Antoine Bristielle, director of the Observatory of opinion at the Jean Jaurès Foundation and author of "Who to trust?
".
“Contrary to what we see abroad, where there is an explosion, underlines Antoine Bristielle, the extreme right networks in France are for the most part close to the National Rally.
In Marine Le Pen's demonization strategy for power, we cannot show images that would scare.
"Marine Le Pen's position is not that of other far-right parties in Europe", agrees Albert Ogien.
Only the former lieutenant of Marine Le Pen, Florian Philippot, patron of the Patriots, organizes demonstrations bringing together a few hundred people.
Superb moment of resistance in Paris this afternoon under Véran's windows!
With Charles Gave guest of honor!
Well done to the organizers and speakers!
Long live Liberty and long live France!
🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/XIpGBJ0fvj
- Florian Philippot (@f_philippot) March 20, 2021
One year before the presidential election, which according to the polls to be in the second round, the president of the National Rally cannot "take the risk of having a bad image", continues Albert Ogien.
"She perfectly integrated the idea of communication advisers: you have to control yourself and the troops, be normal, quiet ...".
Calling to demonstrate, to crowd in processions, even worse by removing the mask, could tarnish the image of the National Rally or convince non-activists to block it in the context of a second round.
Activists who do not demonstrate
The strategy of the far right is not the only explanation for the absence of massive movements against health measures in France.
The initiative could also have come from the far left.
"Demonstrations often take place on the left, but the left is struggling to position itself on this subject," observes Antoine Bristielle.
In France, more than freedom, demonstrations unite more for equality.
“Against health measures, we are more in an individual than collective protest: we will not wear our mask, we will remove it when we go into a store ... continues the researcher.
There is no such idea of
let's get together
.
"
Antoine Bristielle had taken a close interest, last summer, in the profile of anti-masks.
They are often craftsmen (16%, whereas they represent 7% of the whole population) and CSP + (36%, against 18%), rather elderly (around 50 years old) and mostly women ( 63%).
Another observation: there are activists throughout the political spectrum, from the far left to the far right, through the center.
“The anti-masks, in France, represent a sociology of people who demonstrate less,” explains the researcher.
There is a disconnect between those who can be virulent on social media and those who protest.
"
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However, when the health crisis came, the climate seemed favorable to a protest movement, fueled in recent years by the yellow vests.
Many of their groups, like Force Jaune in Île-de-France, are now committing themselves against these measures ... But on the ground, calls to demonstrate are not taking hold.
“Not all disputes coagulate,” notes Albert Ogien.
"The yellow vests may have participated in a weariness of demonstrations," also notes Antoine Bristielle.
And the researcher noted that, according to his study on anti-masks, a very large majority had supported the yellow vests, but had not taken part.
A high risk summer?
At the dawn of February 1, a first protest movement was expressed: restaurant owners, annoyed by the closure of their establishment, had launched an operation of civil disobedience, announcing their desire to resume their activity in spite of everything.
The government then threatened to cut them off aid, forcing them to fall into line.
“The State is very strongly committed, notes Antoine Bristielle.
There were no other difficulties in addition to the implementation of health measures, such as grounds for dispute, as has been the case elsewhere in Europe.
"
Is France safe from a large-scale movement?
Not quite.
The executive is also watching like milk on fire the acceptance rate and morale of the French, which continue to wither over the weeks.
For Antoine Bristielle, summer will be decisive.
"If, once a large part of the population is vaccinated, there is no relief in health measures, that everything does not reopen, then people will not understand ..." At risk, perhaps to be, to bring them down massively in the streets ...
