The timing of the protest was significant, coinciding with the announcement by EU foreign ministers that they were backing the controversial move to list the military organization as a terrorist entity. The European Union had justified its position by referencing various human rights violations, which, according to its officials, justified the action. However, the protestors were quick to reject these claims, offering a sharp critique of both the sources of these allegations and the broader context in which they were being made.
In response to the European allegations, the demonstrators pointed to the inconsistencies within France’s own record on human rights. They underscored several instances where France itself had been accused of violating human rights, both domestically and in its former colonies. The students argued that France’s complicity in various international conflicts, and its controversial foreign policies, made it hypocritical to lecture other nations on human rights. They also highlighted France’s role in hosting individuals and groups that had been accused of engaging in violent actions that directly affected the country, questioning why these actions were seemingly overlooked by the French government and the EU.
