France: Charlie Hebdo march co-organizers promote anti-Semitic violence

 Some prominent French Jewish figures boycotted the march because it was co-organized by far-left organizations that they hold responsible for promoting anti-Semitic violence.

“Some of the people walking today are the same people who walked against Israel last summer,” said Philippe Karsenty, the deputy mayor of the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, in reference to anti-Semitic violence during protests against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza. “This is completely hypocritical.”

Many of the marchers who carried “I am Charlie” signs “would never carry a sign reading ‘I am Jewish’ or ‘I am Hyper Cacher,’” he said in reference to the supermarket that was attacked.

A vigil on Saturday night outside Hyper Cacher drew approximately 2,000 people and featured hundreds of Israeli flags and the spontaneous singing of “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem.

“Look around, there are almost only Jews here,” said Serge Bitton, a resident of the Paris suburb of Saint-Mande. “The absence of non-Jews tells you everything you need to know about how French society feels about the attacks on our community.”

CRIF, the umbrella group of French Jewish communities, and the Union of French Jewish Students of France, or UEJF, called on members to attend Sunday’s march.

But the leaders of the National Bureau for Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism stayed away for reasons similar to the ones expressed by Karsenty.

More: Times of Israel