Asylum and immigration law: more than a thousand demonstrators in Montpellier while awaiting the deadline of the Constitutional Council

Quelque 1 500 personnes ont défilé cet après-midi dans la préfecture héraultaise. Midi Libre – DORIAN CAYUELA

Cet après-midi sur les artères montpelliéraines, le cortège (entre 1 300 et 20 00 personnes) a défilé autour et dans l’Écusson en attendant l’échéance du Conseil constitutionnel.

How many were there, this afternoon on the streets of Montpellier, to express their rejection of the immigration asylum law ? As usual, the figures varied somewhat. To ultimately settle at 1,300 participants (police source) to 2,600 (union source).

Being heard and seen above all

That being said, here is a call which was not widely followed. Among other examples: that very morning, there had been a thousand pounding the pavement in the capital of Calvados, yet three times as many small (in terms of population that is). This Sunday morning again, the demonstration brought together only 250 people in the streets of the singular island. Even if the primary objective was above all to be heard before the examination of the said law by the wise men of rue Montpensier. And to be seen. Proof with the presence of a good number of political groups in particular, coming to support the collectives of undocumented immigrants and traditional unions (CGT, FSU…).

"At least it allows us to see each other!", cowardly, pragmatic, a regular in the social cause, an acquaintance on Place Albert I, a few minutes from departure of the procession. Which almost cut his journey short. When, a few minutes before departure, less than half a thousand demonstrators gathered at the bottom of Boulevard Henri-IV. But ultimately it was the initial route boulevards, rue de La République and Pagézy, then Comédie and rue de La Loge that were taken.

This Tuesday, January 23, at 12 p.m., at the Espace Martin-Luther-King (27, boulevard Louis-Blanc), a conference-debate on the asylum and immigration law, entitled “l’arbre which hides the forest”, will be given by Jean-Philippe Turpin, responsible in Béziers for the Reception Center for asylum seekers (Cada) de la Cimade. FREE ENTRANCE. I subscribe to read more