What makes us strong…

This is the text of a leaflet drawing out the lessons from the many demonstrations across France

 

On 17 October, 800 000 of us took to the streets. And once again, we were tear-gassed, kettled and beaten with batons. Not a word of this was reported in the media. On the other hand, footage of the vandalism, looting and destruction carried out by a minority was shown on a continuous loop on every screen.

1. Why do the media not broadcast a single image of our general assemblies? Why do they not say a word about our leaflets and our actions, which seek to extend the workers’ movement to the entire working class? Why do the media and the government only talk about vandalism and looting? Why do the police mercilessly fire tear gas at the marches while turning a blind eye to attacks on shops?

The answer is obvious. The bourgeoisie and its media, acting on its orders, highlight whatever serves its interests and discredits our movement, whilst concealing what makes us strong: collective thinking and organisation, and the pursuit of solidarity and unity with the entire working class. The police have been ordered to turn a blind eye to the looting in order to undermine the movement, to discredit our general assemblies, and to break the spirit of solidarity among school pupils, students, workers, the unemployed and pensioners.

2. But we must also have the courage and clarity of mind to face up to our movement’s main weakness: for the time being, workers have not joined the struggle. It must be said that the trade unions have done everything in their power to prevent the movement from spreading to workers, by calling for a day of action… on 5 November! That is what is known as outright sabotage.

The massive mobilisation in response to the Yellow Vests’ call must not mislead us: there are neither strikes nor general assemblies in the workplaces. While the student general assemblies have called on all workers to join this movement, and have distributed leaflets in railway stations, the movement has not yet managed to spread. A movement that does not spread is a movement that dies.

3. Because of this weakness, there is a growing risk that the movement will be swept up by frustration and despair, fall into the trap of spectacular, minority-led action, seek to clash with the police, or seize this or that symbolic site of power… It’s a trap! Because when it comes to small-scale confrontations, the state will always be the stronger side: it has the weapons, the manpower and the courts.

4. It is therefore essential that we stay the course:

– Refocus on what unites us all, on our common demand: the fight against precarity.

– Assert again and again that Our strength lies in our unity and solidarity in the struggle.

– Continue to reach out to workers, at railway stations, outside businesses, hospitals and government offices, to call on them to take part in our general meetings and join the movement, as has once again been emphasised today by the Paris Inter-university coalition, the Bordeaux general meeting, the Caen general meeting, and so on.

– Do not give in to either police provocations or media manipulation, and prevent the movement from descending into pointless violence, which undermines its credibility, divides and isolates it.

5. Let’s start preparing for the future right now! Every social movement is born, lives and dies. When ours begins to wane, we must neither despair nor withdraw into ourselves. This movement has already made history. And it heralds further movements, even larger and more far-reaching! In the coming months, we will need to prepare for them. To continue and resume the struggle when the time comes, let us come together in discussion groups to take stock of the movement, understand its strengths and weaknesses, forge links and organise ourselves.

The future belongs to the class struggle!

International Communist Current
20 October 2026