Images of the French CGT union's 'services d'ordre' stewards

CGT stewards alongside French riot police.

The goons of the services d'ordre (SO), the stewards of the CGT (Confederation General de Travail) and FO (Force Ouvriere) side with the police to the disgust of many, including members of the CGT and FO. They are taunted with "SO, Collabos" ('service d'ordre, collaborators'). Armed with telescopic batons, pick-axe handles, baseball bats and helmets, these goons act to police the anti-labour law demonstrations. Back in May 1968 the CGT's SO performed the same function, attacking demonstrators and sabotaging the uprising.

SO stewards in 1968.
SO stewards with sticks.
SO and CRS police.
SO stewards in the street.
SO confront demonstrators.
SO stewards face approaching demonstrators. May 2016.
SO face oncoming demonstration.
SO group in the street.
SO guard street. May 2016.
SO in the street.
SO spray demonstrators.
SO steward with baseball bat.
SO steward with pick-axe handle.
SO van with clubs.
SO with batons, charge at demonstrators. 2016.
SO with CRS police.
SO with pick-axe handles.
SO stewards help block street with police.

Comments

rat
May 31 2016 18:47

Thanks to Battlescared for intro text.

jef costello
May 31 2016 19:14

Thanks for these. I didn't think anyone still used pickaxe handles. I've not seen these guy before, pretty disappointed that they still do these things.

Ed
Jun 1 2016 10:24

Nice one for putting these up! Fucking disgusting behaviour from CGT and FO tho..

Jenre
Jun 1 2016 12:58

thanks for sharing

rat
Jun 1 2016 20:09

See Maurice Brinton's description of the CGT and its service d'ordre (SO) during May 1968 in Paris. Brinton is quoted on the Libcom thread:

France: protests against new labour law

destroy capital
Jun 6 2016 04:15

The CGT have produced some leaflets denouncing ‘police violence’ and ‘repression’ in the context of the ongoing struggle against the new labour law. This is a tad ironic considering the CGT’s own marshals have been actively collaborating with police in the repression of uncontrollable elements within the labour law protests.

The anti-CGT poster above is a subversion of their own leaflet design.

jef costello
Jun 6 2016 05:25

Thanks for those images!

Entdinglichung
Jun 6 2016 08:56

would be interesting to know more about the internal divisions/discussions inside the CGT about the issue, according to my knowledge, the CGT can't be treated as a coordinated or even a monolithic org anymore

Steven.
Jun 6 2016 16:23

Absolute scumbags. I have seen these guys in action, at a Mayday march in Paris some years ago… Maybe 2003? They got aggro and started shoving around and threatening the front section of anarchist block (which if I recall was about 5000 strong)

Schmoopie
Jun 11 2016 06:35
Quote:
I have seen these guys in action, at a Mayday march in Paris some years ago… Maybe 2003? They got aggro and started shoving around and threatening the front section of anarchist block (which if I recall was about 5000 strong)

And now we have witnessed them on the back foot and petrified:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsL_tNNac4E

Steven.
Jun 12 2016 10:52
Schmoopie wrote:
Quote:
I have seen these guys in action, at a Mayday march in Paris some years ago… Maybe 2003? They got aggro and started shoving around and threatening the front section of anarchist block (which if I recall was about 5000 strong)

And now we have witnessed them on the back foot and petrified:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsL_tNNac4E

What time in the video is this referring to? It's quite long…

Schmoopie
Jun 13 2016 03:39

9:40