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French teacher suspended over minute's silence tribute to Palestinians in Gaza
French teacher suspended over minute's silence tribute to Palestinians in Gaza

Middle East Eye

time23-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Middle East Eye

French teacher suspended over minute's silence tribute to Palestinians in Gaza

A high school science teacher in France has been suspended since late March for holding a minute's silence for the victims of Israel's war on Gaza. Le Parisien reported on Thursday, citing education authorities, that the physics and chemistry teacher at Janot Curie high school in Sens, Yonne, was suspended on 31 March. Five days earlier, a minute's silence was held just at the end of her class to pay tribute to the victims of the war, just as Israeli forces unilaterally broke a ceasefire in Gaza and killed more than 700 Palestinians. The Dijon education authority said: 'Respecting neutrality is a duty for civil servants, enshrined in their status, and any failure to comply with this obligation triggers disciplinary proceedings.' It added that the minute's silence had been organised by the teacher. However, the educational branches of three trade unions said it was the students, aged between 15 and 16, who requested the tribute. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'She herself was moved… and the teacher agreed, at the end of her class, to observe this moment of tribute with the students who wished to do so," the unions said in a joint statement. 'We demand that this teacher be reinstated immediately, that all charges be dropped, and that her dignity be officially restored in the eyes of the school, staff and parents.' According to the unions, who called the measure "insane", the tribute "in no way constitutes a breach of the duty of neutrality". They cited Education Minister Elisabeth Borne, who in February "recognised" the "role of teachers in addressing the plight of the victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and paying tribute to them", similar to "the actions in support of Ukraine", according to the press release. The teacher is now the subject of disciplinary proceedings, which could result in a formal warning or reprimand. She does not know how long the suspension will last. 'Policy of denying Palestinian suffering' The decision marks the latest episode of French authorities taking punitive action over protests and remarks related to Israel's war on Gaza. Since 7 October 2023, there has been a marked rise in the use of the 'apology for terrorism' offence, with French authorities launching hundreds of investigations into comments made about the war in Gaza. Jean-Paul Delescaut, leader of the General Confederation of Labour union, was handed a suspended one-year jail sentence for writing in response to the 7 October Hamas attacks: 'The horrors of illegal occupations… are receiving the responses they provoked.' 'Apology for terrorism' row in France shows silencing of debate about Palestine Read More » Last month, three students from Sciences Po Paris were expelled for participating in pro-Palestine protests. Leftist party France Unbowed (La France Insoumise) strongly condemned the decision to suspend the science teacher, calling it a "denial of the right to empathy". 'This moment of silence, held after a class as a gesture of humanity, led to a brutal and unjustified suspension by the education authority,' the party said in a statement. 'This is an incomprehensible and unspeakably violent decision against a teacher who simply wanted to impart the values of respect and solidarity to her students. 'This approach by the education authority is part of a comprehensive policy of denying the suffering of the Palestinian people.' Earlier this week, the French government joined Canada and the UK in condemning Israel's "egregious actions" in Gaza and warned of joint action if it did not halt its current military offensive. French President Emmanuel Macron accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "unacceptable" behaviour in blocking the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. In response, Netanyahu accused Macron of siding with a "murderous Islamist terrorist organisation".

French steel union threaten to block Tour de France route over labour dispute
French steel union threaten to block Tour de France route over labour dispute

New York Times

time02-05-2025

  • Politics
  • New York Times

French steel union threaten to block Tour de France route over labour dispute

The French union, General Confederation of Labour (CGT), have threatened to block the third stage of this summer's Tour de France over a labour dispute. Stage Three is slated to take place in the Nord department of France on July 7, running between Valenciennes and Dunkirk. Union officials are upset at a potential 302 redundancies at steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal, one of the largest employers in the Nord region. The organisation say they will organise disruption unless the French government holds negotiations over the nationalisation of the country's steel industry. Advertisement 'Let's be clear, I respect the Tour de France and those who love it, but there is an economic and social emergency here,' CGT general secretary Jean-Paul Delescaut told Lille-based newspaper La Voix du Nord. 'Metal affects everyone. Including bicycles. If by July 7, we haven't been gathered around the table to talk about nationalizing the steel industry, there will be no yellow jersey in Dunkirk.' The Tour de France is hugely lucrative to local departments — who bid around €100,000 to host stages of the race — with the added tourism driving increased revenue in the regional economy. Delescaut added: 'Unless the Ministers of the Interior and Justice are capable of putting an officer every 20 meters, there are 178 kilometers of route between Valenciennes and Dunkirk. 'If we put 1,000 to 2,000 comrades, that's one comrade every 100 meters. They will have to bring back all the CRS officers (the French riot police) from across France so that the third stage can take place.' The Tour de France has often faced disruption from activists. In 2018, four-time winner Chris Froome was one of several riders who required treatment after being affected by tear gas used to break up a farmer's protest. Three years earlier, the Dutch police threatened to disrupt a stage held in Utrecht in a pay dispute, only calling off their plans three days before. Most recently, stage 10 of the 2022 Tour was halted for 15 minutes after activists from climate group Dernière Rénovation blocked the road. Infamously, the fifth stage of 1984's edition of Paris-Nice race was blocked by workers from the local shipyard. Legendary French rider Bernard Hinault — still the most recent Frenchman to win the Tour — ploughed into the protestors at full speed, before rising to his feet and aiming a punch at one of them. The ASO, the Tour de France's organisers, have been contacted for comment. (Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP via Getty Images)

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