France (AIL) : Alex Arrested Again Stop Political Repression!

We learned this afternoon of the latest arrest of Alex, an antiimperialist activist with the Ligue de la Jeunesse Révolutionnaire (LJR). Already prosecuted for his support for Palestine, Alex was sentenced in January 2026 to a 10-month suspended prison sentence, a 5-year ban on carrying weapons and ineligibility to stand for election, registration in the Fijait (automated judicial database of terrorist offenders) and a €2,000 fine. Behind this new arrest, it is possible that the State is seeking to revoke his suspended sentence in order to silence him!

Following calls from the LJR and Jeunes Révolutionnaires (JR) on social media, several hundred people took part in spontaneous rallies organized across France to denounce this latest arbitrary arrest, in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Rennes, Strasbourg, Montpellier, Amiens, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand, Limoges, Nancy, Nîmes, Lille, Nantes, Tours, Bordeaux, and Aix-en-Provence.

Many organizations lent their support, not only against the criminalization of the movement in support of Palestine, but also in defense of freedom of opinion and expression. In particular, the following organizations or sections supported and took part in the mobilizations: the Antiimperialist League (LAI), Partizan, the Fédération Syndicale Étudiante (FSE), the Communist Youth (JC), Young Struggle (YS), the Trans Solidarity Organization (OST), the Young Communists Movement of France (MJCF), Permanent Revolution (RP) and Poing Levé (LPL), the Communist Organization of France (OCF), the Libertarian Communist Union (UCL), the Committee for Support of the Revolution in the Philippines (CSRP), the War on War campaign, the Revolutionary Communist Party, various Palestine university committees, and the CGT 31 Youth Collective.

In Lyon, where Alex lives and campaigns, several speeches and slogans were chanted in front of the police station where Alex is still being held. The police came out after an hour, thinking that the protesters wanted to enter the police station. They fired a warning flare and violently pushed the procession back to the exit with riot shields. Several participants were then subjected to identity checks, and some were followed by the BAC (anti-crime brigade) for several meters before leaving. During the gathering, the activists received news from Alex, who reassured them about his condition and informed them of the next steps in the case. Alex is expected to appear before the Lyon Criminal Court tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, March 12). A new support rally is planned in Lyon in front of the courthouse, starting at 1:30 p.m.

Alex appeared before the court the following day and was released while awaiting his trial.

Stop the political harassment of pro-Palestinian activists! The mobilization continues.