“A meeting with anti-Semitic overtones was held at the University of Paris 8 during which speakers and participants defended the terrorist acts of October 7. One feeling: disgust,” said the Minister of Higher Education, Philippe Baptiste, on program X on Tuesday afternoon.
“Anti-Semitism and its corollary, anti-Zionism, must be fought with the full force of the law. This afternoon I am sending an instruction to prosecutors to show the greatest firmness when presented with this type of facts,” added Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin in X.
Philippe Baptiste will receive the president of Paris 8 on Wednesday to “understand how an event of this type can be held on its campus, although instructions for vigilance and firmness have been given on several occasions.”
In a press release, the university claims to have “communicated (on Wednesday) to the Public Ministry the elements that had been brought to its attention, in application of article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure,” and to have initiated “an internal investigation.”
“It is clear that there was a dysfunction,” said Philippe Baptiste at LCI on Wednesday, assuring that he had requested an administrative investigation and that “once we have the results of this investigation within three weeks (…) there will be sanctions.”
An open investigation
The Bobigny prosecutor’s office, contacted by the rector, immediately opened an investigation, entrusted to the brigade for the repression of crime against the person, he indicated.
For its part, the Union of Jewish Students of France (UEFJ) attacked
Philippe Baptiste and the UEJF shared a video from “Leon the media” – which presents itself as “engaged media, a Jewish story for you” – about an “ultra-left event organized on the Paris 8 University campus.” The video reproduces an event called by several organizations, including the Federation of Student Unions, organized on October 15 at the Vincennes-Saint Denis University.
Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of the Jewish Institutions of France (Crif), called for “exemplary sanctions” invoking the intervention of one of the participants in this meeting who launched “Do you condemn on October 7? NO!”.
Questioned by AFP, Yossef Murciano, president of the UEJF, estimated that the event could have been blocked in advance. This October 15 conference was “initially presented in another format, with another program,” the university explained in a press release. But for Yossef Murciano it is “urgent that universities take decisive measures before things get out of control.”
A law to combat anti-Semitism
In early July, Parliament adopted a law to combat anti-Semitism in higher education. It provides for awareness-raising measures and disciplinary sanctions and requires the designation of a “referent” in each establishment dedicated to the fight against anti-Semitism and racism. Its application decree must be published before the end of the year.
Anti-Semitic acts have increased sharply in France and around the world since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Israel, followed by a bloody response by the Israeli army in Gaza.
Anti-Semitic excesses were reported at several universities as part of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, in particular at Sciences Po Paris, after October 7, 2023. A fragile ceasefire in Gaza came into effect on October 10.
Yossef Murciano believes that the “sincere pro-Palestinians who demanded a ceasefire are satisfied” but that “the anti-Semitic minority within the movement is increasing its radicalism.” Since the start of the academic year, anti-Semitic incidents against students have occurred at several universities in France, including Paris 1 and Sorbonne University.
The Student Union and Fage, as well as France Universités, an association of higher education institution leaders, did not immediately respond to AFP’s requests for comment.
Source: BFM TV
