“
Genocide in progress, save the Uyghurs!
» ;
"
Let's overthrow Xi Jinping, general strike!"
On both sides of the French capital, slogans against the Chinese regime resound this Saturday, December 3.
Hundreds of Chinese, French people of Chinese origin and supporters gathered to protest Xi Jinping's policies.
Place de la Nation (12th arrondissement), a demonstration was organized to denounce the treatment of the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang, while Place du Trocadéro (16th arrondissement), a rally is held to challenge the
“zero Covid” policy
applied since three years in China.
Uyghur flags - crescent and white star on a light blue background - in hand, a hundred men, women and children moved through the 12th arrondissement of Paris.
Some brandish " Free Uyghur
" signs
made for the occasion, others wear masks in the colors of the flag.
Many refuse to answer questions “
for fear of being found by the regime
”.
“Freedom to the Uyghur people”
Gani agrees to talk to us because he hasn't heard from his brother for nearly four years.
"
He is locked up in a camp or in prison, we don't really know,
" he laments.
We told my parents that he had to be 'educated'
”.
In 2016, Gani left his hometown of Ghulja, Xinjiang, for France.
He says he is "
powerless
" in the face of the repression in his home province.
“
I have a Uyghur friend who returned to China and who never came back
,” adds this 35-year-old man who is “
afraid of being locked up
” if he did the same.
Read alsoUyghurs: new “Xinjiang papers” confirm Xi Jinping’s role in the repression
Merdan, a young man of 32, attracts the lens of photographers.
He reproduced the Uighur flag on his forehead "
for independence and against Chinese colonialism
", he justifies.
But he also covered his face in fake blood, as a sign of "
respect for the people who lost their lives in
the fire
" in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, in northwest China.
On November 25, a fire broke out in a building, killing ten and injuring nine.
Internet users have accused the health restrictions of having prevented the work of the relief workers who took three hours to extinguish the fire.
Merdan, 32, put on makeup to pay tribute to the victims of the Urumqi fire.
Clara Hidalgo
Political speeches
This tragedy prompted Dilnur Reyhan, president of the Uyghur Institute of Europe, to organize this demonstration “
five days ago
”.
“
Down with Chinese totalitarianism, down with Chinese colonialism
,” she chants, perched on a bench, microphone in hand.
“
What is happening against the Uyghurs is a genocide
”, she shouts before giving the floor to the political figures present: Olivier Faure, secretary general of the Socialist Party, Yannick Jadot, EELV MEP and former presidential candidate, David Assouline, socialist senator and Raphaël Glucksmann, MEP committed to the cause of the Uyghurs.
Each one, one after the other, denounces the “
inaction
” and “
hypocrisy
” of the French government, but also the complicity of the companies which make
the Uyghurs work “illegally
”.
Interviewed by
Le Figaro
, Yannick Jadot recalls his support for the "
absolute courage
" of the demonstrators who have been taking to the streets of major Chinese cities for more than a week to protest against the "
zero Covid
" policy.
Olivier Faure, Raphaël Glucksmann, David Assouline and Yannick Jadot lead the procession of the demonstration for the freedom of the Uyghurs, in the 12th arrondissement of Paris.
Clara Hidalgo
"Xi Jinping resignation"
In support of this historic protest movement in China, unprecedented since the pro-democracy mobilizations of Tiananmen in 1989, a second demonstration is held on the other side of the capital, at the foot of the war memorial, Place du Trocadéro.
On placards, “
No to zero Covid
”, “
Xi releases
”, “
Free China
”… The message is clear.
Read alsoChina has not been able to get out of “zero Covid” and is exposed to more than 1 million deaths
Young Chinese expatriates in France are present, holding sheets of white paper in their hands, a symbol used in China by demonstrators to denounce censorship.
For many, it has been more than three years since they have seen their families.
This is the case of Jessica, 28, who came to study in Paris.
She is demonstrating today because because of health restrictions, “
ticket prices have exploded
”.
Accompanied by her friend Zoé, she sings in chorus “
Do you hear the people sing?
“, a song”
revolutionary taken from the film Les Miserables
“[directed by Tom Hooper, editor’s note].
"
As we don't have an official song yet, we use this one everywhere in China
", specifies Zoé.
At the sight of Xi Jinping, the assembly explodes with laughter
Between two chants and “
Xi Jinping resignation
”, the demonstrators watch a video projected on a summarily installed canvas.
You can see a compilation of videos of demonstrations that took place in Shanghai, Canton, Beijing… When President Xi Jinping appears, the assembly bursts into laughter.
“
It's because he was talking about an awakened Chinese people.
It's very ironic because his sentence has now backfired
,” explains Zoé.
The group of Place du Trocadéro protesters watch a video of the demonstrations taking place in China.
Clara Hidalgo
This 31-year-old graphic designer made stickers for the occasion.
Above, she wrote “
All you need is love and foreign powers
”, or “ All
you
need is love and foreign powers ”.
A witticism mixing the song of the Beatles and the rhetoric of the communist regime: “
as soon as we are against the power in China, Xi Jinping accuses the foreign powers of perverting us
, gets annoyed Zoé
.
But if these people exist, that's what we need!
»
Zoé made stickers to joke about Xi Jinping's repressive policy.
Clara Hidalgo
