By Leon V., Red Phoenix correspondent, Florida.

France has erupted into riots after the police killing of Nahel Merzouk, a 17 year old French-African, during a traffic stop. The protestors — who are composed of European French, French-Africans, and immigrants — are calling for justice for Nahel and their demands and anger have exploded into violence in the streets. The actions of the protestors are understandable. But what is not comprehensible is how no progressive group has taken up the charge to lead and guide the social frustration of the masses into an actual movement and not spontaneous action that will dissipate. While many groups, parties, and organizations are rallying behind the protestors, the French Communist Party (PCF) has urged the violence to stop against people and property in their latest announcement:

“The damage to town halls and street furniture in our communes, to our children’s schools and other public services, to community facilities (community centers, social centers, etc.), to police stations in our neighborhoods, to employees’ private cars, is severely penalizing the families directly affected and the population as a whole.

The perpetrators of these crimes must be arrested and brought to justice.”

The PCF spends just as much time in their release lambasting the protestors as they do the police that murdered Nahel. Since the 1970s, the revisionist tendency of “Eurocommunism” has plagued the mainstream communist parties of Europe. Started by the French and Italians in the 1970s-1980s, Eurocommunism claims to supersede Marxism-Leninism and derides it as antiquated and backwards. Instead of adhering to genuine Marxist beliefs, the Eurocommunists joined the Social-Democrats of the early 20th Century in embracing electoralism and reformism. Here is what Enver Hoxha had to say in his work Eurocommunism is Anti-Communism:

“In a situation when the European bourgeoisie is in great difficulties because of the grave economic and political crisis, when the revolt of the masses against the consequences of this crisis and capitalist oppression and exploitation is mounting to ever higher levels, nothing could serve it better than the anti-Marxist views and anti-worker activity of the Eurocommunists. Nothing could give greater assistance to the strategy of imperialism for the suppression of the revolution, the undermining of liberation struggles and domination of the world than the revisionist, pacifist, capitulationist, collaborationist trends, including Eurocommunism.”

Enver Hoxha

It is no surprise that the Eurocommunist bloc has positioned themselves against the mass action of a grieving working class. The class is defending themselves from the vicious arm of capital, as well as the mass of reactionary neo-fascists who march in opposition to the workers. It is apparent that the Eurocommunists and other reformists are not willing to extend a hand to the working class, so it must fall upon the principled Marxist-Leninists to guide the people’s sorrow into meaningful action and change for a brighter future for all workers. The Workers’ Communist Party of France is still small and growing, but our Marxist-Leninist comrades extend their support and solidarity to the workers of France in their struggles against capital:

“For months, police violence has been increasing, especially against young people in the neighborhoods. As denounced by the residents of Nanterre, it has been more than a week that police checks and provocations have multiplied. This explains the anger of the local residents and young people of working-class neighborhoods who have already spontaneously mobilized.

We share this anger and call on comrades and friends of Nanterre to participate in rallies, demonstrations to denounce police violence against young people and to show solidarity with the victims and their families.”

Workers of the World Unite! All Power to Working People! Justice For Nahel!

Categories: France, International, Police Brutality