The Collective 06 for a Just and Lasting Peace between Palestinians and Israelis is organizing a march on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 6 p.m., at Place Garibaldi. In the background, a heated controversy after the release of a video shot during a previous gathering.
The Collective 06 calls for a new demonstration in Nice this Saturday, July 26, 2025, at 6 p.m. The goal of this march: to denounce the ongoing genocide in Gaza and demand a clear commitment from France to enforce international law. The demonstration will begin at Place Garibaldi.
In its appeal, the Collective outlines a series of demands. Among them: the resumption of humanitarian aid to Gaza, the cessation of bombings, the end of occupation and apartheid, and the recognition of the State of Palestine. It also demands respect for UN resolutions, particularly that of September 18, 2024. “History will judge the states that, through their silence and inaction, have become complicit in the ongoing genocide,” can be read in the call to protest.
A Much-Anticipated Demonstration, a Controversy in the Background
But this call comes in a tense context. On Wednesday, July 23, a rally in support of Palestine, organized by the association Les Amis de la Palestine 06 on the Promenade des Anglais, was overshadowed by the release of a viral video. It shows a man hurling homophobic, anti-Semitic, and racist insults. The footage quickly spread across social media.
The video shows a solitary man making offensive remarks, without clarity on what preceded or followed this sequence. The targeted person does not appear clearly. The person responsible for the insults has not been identified to date.
Hager Barkous, president of the association, deplores this incident. “We do not know this person. We do not accept that such things happen in our gatherings; it is only an isolated act. It does not represent the values of our association,” she explained to our colleagues at France 3 Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur.
In a statement, Les Amis de la Palestine 06 strongly condemns these remarks. The president regrets that this sequence overshadows the objectives of the mobilization: “It harms the cause, but we will never be discouraged. We will continue our actions. And if there is anything to reproach us, let them prove it.”
Hager Barkous especially calls not to look away from Gaza: “Gaza is dying in silence, every day… One tragedy should not obscure another.” She does not rule out the possibility of a deliberate provocation: “The video was published very quickly, so we have many questions. It’s very strange. Who will benefit from this video? The right and the far-right.”
Numerous Political Reactions
Political reactions were quick to follow. On X, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, expressed his outrage. He announced having referred the matter to the public prosecutor for acts of anti-Semitism and homophobia. He added: “The Palestinian flag has become, whether we like it or not, the banner of anti-Semitic and homophobic Islamo-fascism.”
These words sparked strong reactions. Juliette Chesnel, an ecologist elected official, denounces “the manipulation and indecency” of the mayor. Olivier Salerno, from La France Insoumise, speaks of a “racist amalgam” and claims that this statement is “the other side of the coin.”
UDR deputy, Eric Ciotti, called for firmness on social networks: “Anti-Semitism must be fought in Nice as everywhere else! The response must be unwavering, and justice must strike hard.”
For his part, the prefect of Alpes-Maritimes has also referred the matter to the prosecutor under Article 40. An investigation has been opened. The national police are tasked with identifying the author of the filmed remarks.
The march on Saturday will therefore take place in a particular climate. The organizers, however, insist on their commitment to human rights and their rejection of any form of hate.
