Gaza Protester Removed from Perch by Paris Police

PARIS (06-23) – Symbolizing the democratic values of the French Republic, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, Paris’ largest public square, the Place de la République is often the scene of protests, demonstrations along with expressions of political ideology, criticism of leaders and the government.

Some of the city’s largest and smallest demonstrations have taken place here with citizens exercising their democratic rights of free speech and in recent months the issue of Israel’s genocide in Gaza has seen thousands of activists repeatedly crowding the square in protest.

On Sunday, a single activist demonstrating her support against the genocide in Gaza scaled the monument’s massive base, covered her head with a blue cloth and bound her hands and feet with rope in a symbolic gesture, as she waited patiently for police to remove her from her perch high above a crowd that had formed below.

Officers who scaled the base worked around the monument’s pedestal carefully placing climbing ropes in position in preparation for her eventual removal. The silent protest had many in the assembled crowd below, however, wondering just what she was protesting about.

Once the police had everything in place, she was prepared for removal and while accompanied by two officers, repelled down in a less than gracious manner with one officer turning upside down and body-slamming the woman against the cold hard stone surface of the monument’s base.

After descending, she was placed in a waiting vehicle, where she became combative and began yelling in reference to the state as having all the power.

Only being partially secured in the car, she kicked open the door and was forced back in by officers before being whisked away with the car’s siren blaring. Soon afterward she was seen out on the street again headed back towards the square. It was a typical catch-and-release trout fishing expedition-style detention.

Her solo gesture as an act of defiance, although silent in bringing attention to her cause, is the embodiment of how resistance, no matter how small or large, is a fundamental component in bringing about change.

Report and photos by Phil Pasquini