Tens of thousands of people marched under the slogan “That’s Enough” in the capital Paris and other cities on Tuesday, against continuous anti-Jewish attacks, including nearly 100 graves defaced with swastikas in a Jewish cemetery in eastern France.
Political leaders from all parties, including former Presidents Francois Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, gathered in Paris filling the Place de la Republique, a symbol of the nation, to decry anti-Semitic acts with one common slogan: “Enough!”
President Emmanuel Macron also visited the cemetery and paid respects at one of the 96 desecrated graves in the village of Quatzenheim, on Tuesday. He told local leaders and members of the Jewish community: “It’s important for me to be here with you today.”
“Whoever did this is not worthy of the French Republic and will be punished,” President Macron said after swastikas were found at a Jewish cemetery.
France is home to the world’s largest Jewish population outside of Israel and the US. The series of attacks has alarmed politicians and prompted calls for action against what some commentators describe as a new form of anti-Semitism among the far-left and Islamist preachers.
“I call on all French and European leaders to take a strong stand against anti-Semitism,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message recorded in Hebrew. “It is an epidemic that endangers everyone, not just us.”
Chantal Pardo, a retired secretary, said: “The recent attacks have terrified me and we have to find solutions. Everybody has to stand up to this, no matter their background. We have to find solutions.”
>Juthy Saha
Thousands Protest Against Antisemitic Attacks in France
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