2015 Corsican protests
2015 Corsican protests | ||||
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Date | 24–28 December 2015 | |||
Location | ||||
Resulted in | Muslim prayer centre damaged, vandalism of property | |||
Parties | ||||
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Casualties | ||||
Death(s) | 0 | |||
Injuries | 0 | |||
Detained | Six North African men sentenced to between 6 and 30 months in prison for initial attack.[3] | |||
Ban on protests declared effective until 4 January 2016, yet protests continued. |
History of Corsica |
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History portal |
The 2015 Corsican protests were a series of marches by several hundred
Background
Over the past several decades,
While racial tensions linger,[7] in the December 2015 French regional elections in Corsica, the pro-autonomy party Pè a Corsica got 35.34% of the vote, winning 24 seats out of 51. Gilles Simeoni, already mayor of Bastia, said: "It's a victory for Corsica and all the Corsicans. My first thoughts go to all those early campaigners who have battled for our cause for half a century – among them the youngsters, some of whom are in prison. It's a victory for an alternative policy to that which has failed Corsicans for decades. [Corsicans had a] thirst for democracy, economic development and social justice." The leader of the pro-independence group Corsica Libera, Jean-Guy Talamoni, added: "It's been a 40-year-long march to arrive here. Corsica is not just a French administrative constituency – it's a country, a nation, a people."[8] He further noted the result of "those who have never accepted French rule... and have never ceased to fight for the survival of the Corsican nation" and also called for amnesty for "political prisoners" and "those still in hiding."
Negotiations were imminent for the creation of a single Corsican region by 2018 that would merge the executive with its two
Arson and protests
On 24 December in the poor neighbourhood of Les Jardins de l'Empereur, firefighters were ambushed by unidentified "hooded youths" with iron bars and baseball bats, resulting in injuries to two firefighters and a police officer. set on fire. It was raided by crowds the next day after accusations that the firefighters were attacked by local Arab residents.
On 27 December, following the initial arson, as well as a consequent protest ban, several hundred people marched in Corsica, though they avoided the affected neighbourhood, instead rallying in other areas. Previous marches had seen slogans such as : "Arabs get out!" On the day, they also rejected accusations that their rally was racist and chanted: "We fight against scum, not against Arabs!" and "We aren't thugs, we aren't racists!" Police were also deployed around Les Jardins de l'Empereur, home to many immigrants, to prevent any clashes.[4]
Arrests
Two men in their 20s were arrested for the initial attack and were due to be charged.[12]
In December 2018, six men were sentenced for their part in the initial attack: Nabil Khallouk and Aziz Doudouch received 30 months in prison, Christian Richard received two years, and Karim Khallouk received 18 months. Nordine Doudouch got 10 months in prison for transporting weapons, and Abdelkarim El Youssfi received a six-month suspended sentence and community service for trespassing and vandalism.[3]
Reactions
Politics
Prime Minister Manuel Valls said the attack was "an unacceptable desecration," while Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve pledged that the perpetrators of the attacks on the firefighters and the prayer hall would be identified and arrested. He further commented that there was no place for "racism and xenophobia" in France. The French Council of the Muslim Faith denounced the violence. A ban was issued on protests in the mostly Muslim neighbourhood until at least 4 January 2016.[4]
President of the
Religion
Academia
Eugène Gherardi, a professor of Corsican culture and history, shares the view that xenophobic forms of nationalism reached the island through the National Front. However, Emmanuel Martin of the Institute for Economic Studies in Europe noted that the protesters were chanting in Corsican and displaying the island's flag, theorising that the alleged xenophobia would be stronger in Corsica where some locals already believe that their homeland has been colonised by the French.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Hundreds defy protest ban in Corsica after anti-Arab violence". France24. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ "Hundreds march in Corsica after violent anti-Arab protests". NewsInfo. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Pompiers agressés aux Jardins de l'Empereur : De 6 à 30 mois de prison ferme" (in French). Corse Net Infos. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Corsica march: Hundreds defy protest ban after Muslim prayer hall attack". BBC News. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ a b c "Corsica attack: Nationalist leader blames 'imported' racism". BBC News. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^ a b "After Anti-Muslim Protest in Corsica, Nationalism, High Unemployment, Slow Economic Growth Blamed". International Business Times. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^ Craig Smith (26 August 2004). "Racial Tensions Puncture Corsica's Picturesque Setting". The New York Times.
- ^ Kim Willsher (14 December 2015). "Corsican nationalists win historic victory in French elections". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ John Lichfield. "Corsica: Installation of nationalist government sparks concern in Paris amid renewed calls for independence". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "Corsica becomes latest European territory". 24 December 2015. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "Corsica attack: Nationalist leader blames 'imported' racism". BBC News. 28 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d Chazan, David (28 December 2015). "Two people arrested after attack on firemen sparks racial tension in Corsica". Telegraph. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
- ^ "Agression des pompiers : "Sales Corses, cassez-vous"". Corse Matin (in French). 26 December 2015. Archived from the original on 27 December 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ^ "Communiqué de presse du Front National" (in French). Front National. 26 December 2015. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^ "L'Éveque D'Ajaccio denonce les "actions violentes" commises au nom "de la foi Chretienne"". France Soir (in French). 29 December 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2015.