France's Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin recently called for the dissolution of the fascist youth organisation "Génération Identitaire" (GI), the French offshoot of the Identitarian Movement.
He has now initiated proceedings. The reason given is that the GI had carried out actions in the Alps and the Pyrenees against immigrants, which according to the indictment had a militia-like character and were illegal. It may seem unusual for a supporter of monarchies and extremely traditional Catholic bourgeois politician like Darmanin to fire against the very organisation that also represents his values. In addition, the GI has good contacts in the top politicians of the bourgeois state; Darmanin's predecessor, for example, knew the GI spokesman personally. And so the GI did not have to fear any major consequences even in the case of violent actions against yellow waistcoats or left-wing activists. For instead of serving the cliché of the bald Nazi, today such organisations are invited on TV shows and serve to gain contacts with important businessmen. At the same time, however, their membership is also declining and notable sister organisations exist only in Austria and Germany. Their influence seems to be waning. But they have also done their job for the moment. Public debates about an alleged danger of Islam has become socially acceptable in France. France continues to try to gain influence in e.g. African countries with military operations. These are all things that such groups propagate. Banning them is a step towards putting on a liberal garment and being able to say that one is doing something against the "extreme right wing". And surely there will be a successor group and the game will start all over again. This is not anti-fascism.
What this can look like could be seen on Saturday the 20th of February in Paris, when the GI called for a demonstration against its dissolution. The demonstration of anti-fascists was countered by attempts to ban it, but according to the organisers this could not be enforced by the police. In response to the large turnout of antifascists, the police then conducted searches, fined numerous participants and arrested more than a dozen people.
A short video can be found here.
"Fascist out of our neighbourhoods!"
