International Women's Rights Day: tensions in Paris, thousands of demonstrators in France

On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, a feminist collective and unions encouraged women's rights. the French çaises à strike this Friday, March 8. Demonstrations are underway à Paris and throughout the country, mobilizing thousands of people.

The essentials

• This Friday, March 8, 2024, celebrates International Women's Rights Day.
• A call à the strike was called launched by the #grèveféminist collective, unions and numerous organizations. French women are encouraged to participate. go on strike all day both at work and at home. home. Nearly 200 mobilizations are planned this Friday in France.
• The most important demonstration took place à Paris. Leaving early in the afternoon, the procession brought together thousands of people wishing to defend women's rights and ;éequalityé between men and women.
• The Parisian procession was carried out disturbed by some tensions. It was not feminists who opposed, but pro-Palestinian activists and the Jewish Defense League, whose members formed a cordon of resistance. ;eac;securityé around pro-Israeli activists.

Live

21:20 – 100,000 demonstrators à Paris according to the CGT, 28,000 according to the police

À On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, many demonstrators took to the streets. to denounce, among other things, salary inequalities between men and women. À In Paris, the CGT reported on Friday evening that 100,000 demonstrators had been mobilized for the occasion, while the police headquarters estimated at 100,000 demonstrators. 28,000 the number of people present in the procession.

19:42 – The poignant tribute of Gabriel Attal &amp ;agrave; his mother

While he welcomed the winners of the "101 women entrepreneurs" &agrav; Matignon, Gabriel Attal spoke. The opportunity to point out the inequalities that her sisters faced during their careers, but also to pay a beautiful tribute to her. his mother, "who had not studied and had not worked; to be able to raise [her children] and who found herself at home 32 years old single with four children his charge. After finding a job as an assistant editor, she "ended up creating her own business”. And the Prime Minister announced to the applause of his audience:  "Bravo mom, if you'élisten to me!"

18:41 – "Who rules the world ? Girls" : Gabriel Attal poses with the entrepreneurs

The Prime Minister received à Matignon this Friday will host the winners of the first promotion of the "101 female entrepreneurs" competition. At the beginning of the evening, Gabriel Attal posted a photo surrounded by these women on eacute;.

17:43 – Gabriel Attal announces "a precise salary range" in job offers

At the end of the day of mobilization, Gabriel Attal announced: that the government was working on the publication of a precise salary range in job offers to provide transparency and avoid women are treated less well, according to Franceinfo. Wage gaps between men and women are, in fact, part of the demands.

17:39 – The collective "We will live" exfiltr&eac; of the procession by security

Activists who are members of the collective fighting against anti-semitism and pro-Israeli "We will live" have been exfiltrated from the procession of the demonstrations for women's rights in Paris reports Le Parisien. “The police exfiltrated usé to protect us" explained Sarah Aizenman, member of the collective, to the newspaper after the tensions observed between the collective and pro-Palestinian activists. "The police then offered usé to return there at the end of the procession but our activists are terrified" she added.

17:03 – Tensions intensify in the Parisian procession< /h3>

Tensions took place in the procession of the Parisian demonstration between activists from the association "We will live", created after the Hamas attack in Israel on October 7 to denounce the rapes and sexual violence committed by the latter and pro-Palestinian activists. The BRAV-M intervened as tensions escalated and eventually exfiltrated. the activists of this demonstration collective. 

Tensions dans la marche féministe à Paris entre militants pro-palestiniens et la LDJ qui fait le service d'ordre du collectif @nous_vivrons.

Intervention de la BRAV-M.#JourneeDesDroitsDesFemmes #8mars #WomensDay2024 pic.twitter.com/O0hXTi4IrF

— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) March 8, 2024

16:53 – Who are the Rosies, these women in blue present in the demonstrations

Easily spotted with their blue jumpsuits, these women present in the demonstrations this Friday but not only, belong to the feminist collective Les Rosies. The activists of this collective were also present during the retirement demonstrations in spring 2023 as well as during the retirement protests. other demonstrations which then took place until the end of the year. those of this March 8, 2024. Blue jumpsuit, makeup, music and choreography are their trademark and have built their identity. with reference to Rosie the Riveter, feminist icon of American pop culture. This group defines itself as a "joyful collective" and non-partisan. In March 2023, Youlie Yamamoto, spokesperson and co-founder of the movement, told Libération: «We created éé the Rosies in 2019, when Edouard Philippe declaredé that women would be the big winners from pension reform. That was one sentence too many!" The Rosies continue to liven up the various events in France for March 8. 

16:31 – Several hundred people in the streets of Dijon

As France Bleu Bourgogne-Franche-Comté indicates, several hundred people, women and men of all ages, gathered in the town. Demonstrators livened up the march with a choreography to the song   "Free from desire" of Gala whose chorus is taken up by the crowd. The media adds that unions like CGT or Solidaires 21 are also present in the procession. 

16:18 – In Toulouse, the demonstration is in full swing

In Toulouse, the procession continues to parade in the streets with many demonstrators. 

16:07 – In Rennes the demonstration began. &agrav; 4 p.m.

The numerous demonstrators from Rennes gathered on the Esplanade at Charles-de-Gaulle. As indicated by Ouest-France, the procession set off in the morning. towards Place de la Republique. Before departure, the different feminist collectives present in the Breton capital such as the Kaune collective, Les Travaileuses de la Terre, or the feminist collective Nous All 35 were expressed from the top of a tank installed on the ground. on the esplanade. The collective Nous Tous 35 notably declared: : "We call à don't let go of anything to continue; gain ground through feminist struggles.

15:53 ​​- The CGT calls for sanctions to fight against in" ;equality salary

During the Paris demonstration, the president of the CGT, Sophie Binet, declared: that sanctions are necessary for companies that do not "respect" not parity at the level of salaries. She regrets that there "there are no sanctions for companies that continue to pay women less than men”. She also deplored the situation. the lack of "sanctions for companies that do not have a prevention plan regarding gender-based and sexual violence". 

15:32 – Palestinian flags present in the Paris procession

< p>Amid the purple signs and flags of the Parisian procession, a few Palestinian flags also joined in the procession. the demonstration. It appears that slight tensions occurred between demonstrators.

15:04 – In Lyon, the demonstration marches through the streets

Under a gray sky, the procession of demonstrators, very numerous, is marching in the streets of Lyon.

14:56 – In the Parisian procession, the president of the CFDT calls for reduce the wage gap

At the heart of the Paris demonstration, the president of the CFDT union, Marylise Léon, declaredé on the union's account (…) We need to overhaul the equality index. professional to integrate companies with less than 50 employees."

14:50 – The Bordeaux procession parades through the city center

As France 3 Aquitaine indicates, the Bordeaux demonstration is underway in the streets of the city center which brings together many demonstrators.

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March 8 is an annual meeting for all women in the world. If every year International Women's Rights Day is a date marked by numerous events in France as elsewhere, March 8, 2024 promises to be special.

The collective #grèveféministe had launchedé from mid-February a call to the strike "of work, domestic chores and consumption". In order to highlight the inequalities of which women are victims, the collective wants them to stop all activity. this Friday. The collective's call was made followed and taken up by five unions (CFDT, CGT, UNSA, FSU and Solidaires) and more than 160 mobilizations are planned this Friday throughout France.

In Paris, a demonstration is planned for next week. 2 p.m. Place Gambetta in the 20th arrondissement towards Place de la Bastille.  In Lyon, demonstrators are invited from 12:30 p.m. place Jean-Macé for a picnic and a sign workshop before the start of the event planned for next week. 2 p.m. For the city of Marseille, two gatherings are planned. A first start will begin at 10 a.m. Place du G&néal de Gaulle and a second one will leave from there. 2 p.m. from the stairs of Saint-Charles station. In the north, à Lille, the procession will set off from 1:30 p.m. from Place de la Republique. Other cities are also affected. Like Bordeaux where the demonstrators are expected à 12 p.m. Place de la Victoire. Or even Toulouse with an event planned for next week. 2 p.m. Place du Capitole, with also a sign workshop from 11 a.m.

L'IVG put à honor this March 8, 2024

But this year, March 8 is accompanied by another highly anticipated symbolic event: the #39;official entrance to the freedom to resort to à abortion in the French Constitution. After the vote on the constitutional law this Monday March 4 by the assembled Parliament in Congress à Versailles, a sealing ceremony is planned for this Friday on Place Vendôme, in Paris. Paris.

This event will take place at the Ministry of Justice and will be open to the public. On his X account this Monday, President Emmanuel Macron gave go to the public à 12 p.m., Place Vendôme. A speech by the president is expected at the conference. 12:10 p.m. according to BFMTV, before the start of the ceremony scheduled for next week. 12:40 p.m. As the media indicates, all parliamentarians have been invited to this ceremony led by the President and the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti.

The idea of ​​dedicating one day per year to The fight for women's rights dates back to the 19th century. But we had to wait until 1977 for this project to come to fruition. That year, the UN officially established an international day dedicated to women's rights where Events and demonstrations in their favor are organized all over the world. The origin of March 8 in particular remains quite unclear. In France, the first "March 8" goes back à 1975, when the Women's Liberation Movement (MLF) gathers to demonstrate against International Women's Year. A concept put in place by the UN but poorly received by many feminist activists who see it as a recovery of their cause. This date will finally be officially chosen in 1982 after the MLF's request to President François Mitterrand.