Shocked socialists point to anti-Semitism behind May 1 attacks

One of the leading figures of the Socialist Party, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, denounced "cowards wearing hoods, dressed in black, who outright physically attacked socialist activists and elected officials, one because they are socialists, and two, because some of them are Jewish."

The incidents occurred at the party's stand. Protesters dressed in black, some carrying anti-fascist flags, violently jostled elected officials and activists. The Interior Ministry reported four minor injuries among the Socialists.

For the past ten years, and particularly during the protests against the 2016 labor law, socialists have become accustomed to hearing "everyone hates the Socialist Party" chanted by the far left during demonstrations.

But there, "there was mortar fire. We had friends who ended up in the emergency room. It could have been extremely serious," Mr. Mayer-Rossignol said on Sud Radio.

The Socialist Party filed a complaint, and according to the Paris prosecutor's office, one person was taken into custody after the acts committed (mortar fire, damage and violence).

And several socialists also heard insults with anti-Semitic overtones. "Activists who claim to be from the left, the far left (...) first started insulting us as 'dirty Zionists', 'genocidaires', 'traitors'," said MEP Emma Rafowicz.

MP Jérôme Guedj, who is Jewish like Ms Rafowicz, had to be removed from the procession after having already left a rally on Sunday against Islamophobia organised following the murder of a worshipper in a mosque in the Gard region.

"All this is consistent with the hatred they have for the socialists and for me in particular," declared Mr. Guedj, for whom "it reeks of anti-Semitism." Even though he himself admitted on Thursday that he had not heard any anti-Semitic insults in the May Day procession.

Tondelier's apologies

While controversies on anti-Semitism on the left are generally provoked by LFI (positioning after October 7, Hanouna poster, etc.) this time it was the head of the ecologists Marine Tondelier who sowed trouble on Thursday evening by suggesting that Jérome Guedj had behaved a little provocatively by coming to the demonstrations.

She apologized Friday morning, explaining that she had been misinformed about the incidents. "Jérôme Guedj, like all socialists and protesters, must be able to do so (demonstrate) in peace (...) As for whether there is far-left anti-Semitism, the answer is yes," she said, apologizing.

Several left-wing figures have expressed their support for Mr. Guedj. "There are acts of anti-Semitism in France, and I condemn them all without reservation, including the violence that Jérôme Guedj may be subjected to," Lucie Castets added on Franceinfo.

But the Insoumis, accused by Mr. Mayer-Rossignol of maintaining a "climate" through "their strategy of fracturing and brutalizing the debate," were content with the bare minimum on Jérôme Guedj, who is radically opposed to them.

"Thank you to the media for stopping blaming us for any action against this or that person in the Paris demonstrations," LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard simply responded after the incidents, stressing that "we do not agree with the fact that political disagreements are settled like this" (by violence).

"I didn't know Guedj was a worker, given how much media space he occupies on May 1st, traditionally reserved for workers who suffer from their labor," reacted LFI MP Aly Diouara. "Making this date invisible for the purpose of exploiting anti-Semitism is disgusting," he accused on X.

Even within the Socialist Party, the climate is tense. Jérôme Guedj, who is in the camp of opponents of Olivier Faure and supports Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol for the next Congress, attacked the First Secretary, who did not receive "a single call yesterday or since Sunday for the Socialist Party spokesperson that I am."