AN immigrant hostel in the Paris working class suburb of Vitry was the target assault over Xmas.
The attackers came with one purpose in mind - to flatten the hostel to the ground so that the immigrants who lived there would be driven out of the area. To this purpose ENCE bulldozers, wire-cutters and clubs.
But this was no ordinary racist attack. It was led by suburb, raul Mercieca, a member of the French Communist Party. He was joined in his attack on the hostel by members of the Communist Party, and the French CP has officially supported his action.
The scandal of the CP's new militancy towards immigrant workers has been denounced by many on the French left. Jean Le Garre, the Socialist Party, said the attack on the hostel was unworthy of a party which proclaims workers' solidarity and internationalism'.
Last week 6,000 Muslim immigrants, prompted by the attack, decided to call a special: conference of a commando-style munity. •goon: squads used the lord mayor of the Vitry, located in 50 other an executive member of by to 'problems of racialism, xenophobia and aggression' against the Muslim comBut the French CP remains unrepen it has attemoted to Justify bulldozing by saying that there already too many immigrants and that immigrants should other, less working areas. One of Mercieca's CP helpers has been quoted as saying: The people Vitry are fed up. Out of every 10 in. habitants, two are immigrants. Municipal The same theme was recently echoed Communist government in the Paris working class suburb of lvry. 'Ivry is 20 per cent immigrants, complained the Communists. in certain areas they reach 50 per cent • We say frankly 'That's enough"
The excuse offered by the CP - that immigrants should, move to other areas is country, the ford living in be class of La French national. jobs in question municipal Wing them.
into practice.
pathetically weak. Immigrant workers, being the lowest paid in the are bound to live in working class areas because that is all they can afAll statistics recently released give the lie to the view, which is also peddled by the CP, that immigrant workers are taking the jobs of French workers. survey found that only one job in three left vacant by an immigrant was filled by This is because the in the building dustry, in road construction and even in car assembly plants - are so low paid that French nationals won't consider takDespite such facts, French CP leader Georges Marchais has gone on record as saying he is in favour of stricter immigra tion controls. His party members in Vitry have obviously decided to put this policy A infavours stricter immigration controls GEORGES MARCHAIS, French CP Ieader who