Protest against the John Paul II Square in Paris

The vainglory of John Paul II in incomparable with that of saints who wished to remain humble and unknown such as St. Paul who said: "I must decrease, he [Christ] must increase. Following the self-glory style of the saint he canonized, Josemaria Escriva http://www.odan.org/tw_escriva_name_changes.htm ( founder of the Opus Dei) John Paul II continue to amass as many places named after him on earth. Didn't Christ say: “Do not store up treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. Instead store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

The Mayor of Paris changed the name Square of the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral into the John Paul II Square -- inspite of the protest of his city council at 63 over 164 votes. Is this democracy or Polish distatorship in action? On its "hasty" inauguration on September 3, 2006, there was a big protest with the attendance of many organizations.

Here are some news articles of the big event:

NO to “Notre Dame John Paul II Square” in Paris!
International Humanist and Ethical Union

By admin
Created 4 Sep 2006 - 07:36
http://www.iheu.org/node/2367

IHEU [0]'s French member organization Libre Pensée [0] has condemned the decision of the Paris local goverment to name a square after John Paul II, and is organizing a protest meeting at the Paris Mairie. The Libre Pensée press release and an English translation are provided here.
NO to “Notre Dame John Paul II Square”!Paris must remain laïque and republican!

Libre Pensée, the French National Federation of Freethinkers, strongly condemns the decision of the Paris local government to name a public square on the Ile de la Cité after John Paul II.
What has made John Paul II worthy of such an honour from the capital of the French revolution, where the great law separating Church and State was passed in 1905?

He:- condemned contraception and IVF and campaigned against them in the international institutions.
- condemned the use of condoms to stop the fatal AIDS epidemic.
- supported the totalitarian regimes throughout the world, such as the Pinochet regime.
- beatified a multitude of fascists, Nazis and collaborators.
- sanctified the counter-revolutionaries of 1789/1795.
- condemned the Lumières as mothers of Fascism.

And this is the papal conduct that Bertrand Delanoe, with the support of the PS and UMP, has decided to honour? How can an elected official of the Republic glorify somebody who never ceased to question the legitimacy of the Parliaments and their elected representatives?

It is a shame, it is a scandal!

In order to call the Mayor of Paris to account for this true denial of republican democracy, Libre Pensée invites all laïques, democrats, true republicans and their associations to take part in a protest meeting on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at 14:00 in front of the Paris Mairie.

French version

NON au Parvis « Notre Dame–Jean-Paul II » !

Paris doit rester laïque et républicain !

La Fédération nationale de la Libre Pensée condamne, avec la plus grande fermeté, la décision de la Mairie de Paris de donner le nom de Jean-Paul II à une place publique sur l’Ile de la Cité.
Qu’a fait Jean-Paul II pour mériter un tel honneur de la Capitale de la Révolution française où a été voté, en 1905, la grande loi de séparation des Eglises et de l’Etat ?

Il a :- condamné la contraception et l’IVG en menant campagne contre dans les institutions internationales.- condamné l’utilisation du port du préservatif pour enrayer l’épidémie meurtrière du SIDA.- soutenu les régimes totalitaires partout dans le monde, comme celui de Pinochet- béatifié une multitude de fascistes, nazis et collaborateurs.- sanctifié à la pelle les contre-révolutionnaires de 1789/1795.- condamné les Lumières comme mère du fascisme.

Et c’est la réaction faite pape que Bertrand Delanoë, avec le soutien du PS et de l’UMP, décide d’honorer ? Comment un Elu de la République peut-il glorifier quelqu’un qui n’a cessé de remettre en cause la légitimité des parlements et de leurs élus ?C’est une honte, c’est un scandale !

Pour exiger des comptes du Maire de Paris sur ce véritable déni de démocratie républicaine, la Fédération nationale de la Libre Pensée appelle tous les laïques, les démocrates, les véritables républicains et leurs associations à participer au rassemblement de protestation laïque, le samedi 7 octobre 2006 à 14H devant la Mairie de Paris

Source URL:http://www.iheu.org/node/2367
Copyright © 1952-2006 International Humanist and Ethical Union
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This is a translation of another French news (I'll polish up on the translation when I have more time):

Inauguration of the John Paul II Square in Paris, in a police mood

Arrest of more one than 50 opposing [people], more of policemen than civilians present: this was the mood at the inauguration of the John Paul II Square of Our Lady of Paris [Cathedral], Sunday September 3, 2006.

The policemen quickly encircled and diverted the procession from the square. More than 200 protesters met through their associations and political parties (Act up-Paris, The Sisters of the constant indulgence – Convent of Panama, Les Verts, An Nou Alle!, l'Ardhis, la Brigade des clowns, les Panthères roses, Degel, le collectif Idaho, les Mauves, le mouvement Les Putes et la Laïcité Ecologie Association.)

The access to the Square of Our Lady was under high supervision: systematic searches and measures were taken to ensure the distance of the protesters. "There was offensive features to the preventive arrestations and searches of bags, Juliette, a young protester related with emotion.

While gathering was peaceful and non-violent, this became a swipes.""Beyond the re-baptisation of the square, the manner with which the police treated us was more serious, said Aline Paillet, former European delegated and journalist, scandalized by his arrest.When I asked the police who arrested me to show me his police card, he opened his jacket to show me his weapon!" "The pope was against the abortion, against the preservative and against the means of contraception, he was responsible of millions of deaths in Africa especially.

An 88 year old assured, "you can say that I will come to unhook his [pope’s] plaque, this veneers!", relates Simone, a Parisian interviewed by the regional parisian television.

"The city hall canonized John Paul II before the Vatican", underlines Jérôme Gleizes, a Green elected official of the Xe district, who come to observe the event.

After the death of the pope, April 2 2005 according to 26 years of his reign, the Paris counsel had voted last June 13 with 63 elected officials on 164 were then present - to give to the Square of Our Lady the name of John Paul II.

In his inaugural speech, the Paris mayor greeted the memory of the one that was a "major sentinel of the modern times" all the while recognizing that this homage "could bump sensitiveness". Bertrand Delanoë also recognized as "a lot regretted the voice of John Paul II which did not echo the undeniable evolution of our society, at the hour when humanity was confronted with the anguishes and diseases of this century end, such as AIDS”…

The Act up-Paris that does not forget the "criminal positions of this pope on preservative [contraceptives] and his homophobia" which he told directly to the mayor of Paris: "That the Catholic hierarchy condemn the usage of contraceptives through its lies and its dogmas that precipitate its own followers in shame, suffering and death. To the [mayor] an elected republican, progressive sensément and, more, he himself has aimed by discriminatory comments, do not come to soil his city by the plaques to the glory of assassins [like Pope John Paul II]".

This is the original French report http://christophebg.hautetfort.com/archive/2006/09/07/inauguration-de-la-place-jean-paul-ii-a-paris-dans-une-ambia.html#comments
and you can get a free translation from www.freetranslation.com

Another news reported that the protesters called the Square the AIDS Victim Square:

Dozens of people demonstrated against the move at the new John Paul II Square because of the Catholic Church’s stances against the use of condoms as a form of birth control and in favor of abstinence as the best way to stop AIDS. Some activists reportedly lay in the street with chalk outlines of their bodies drawn on the ground under a fake street sign that read "AIDS Victims' Square," and several carried air-filled condoms tied into a cross.
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=21140

"Delanoe is honoring an assassin," some chanted, saying John Paul's opposition to condoms, along with other forms of contraception, was responsible for hundreds, even thousands of deaths to AIDS and other diseases.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1694938/posts


Déjà Vu?