Three years after the Battle of Algiers, when the FLN was dismantled, on December 10 and 11, 1960, major popular demonstrations invaded the streets of the major cities of Algeria, marking a turning point in General de Gaulle’s strategy of creating the ‘French Algeria.
On December 10 in Oran and Algiers, in the old rue de Lyon, in the heart of the Belcourt district, thousands of Algerians take to the streets to protest against French colonization and support the FLN and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic ( GPRA). Clashes broke out and roadblocks were set up by the population coming from poor neighborhoods. In a few hours, the tension mounts and tens of thousands of Algerians will take to the streets.
Quickly, the demonstrations turn to confrontation with the military forces, and the European districts are invaded by the people. After Oran and Algiers, the unrest spread to other big cities like Chlef, Blida, Constantine or Annaba, lasting more than a week. Note, as was still the case in recent months with the anti-Hirak system demonstrations, that women were on the front line of the uprising, far from the alleged organization then put forward by the FLN
With the presence of General de Gaulle on Algerian soil, since December 9, these demonstrations were severely repressed, but they demonstrated that France was not able to contain the popular uprising despite a massive military presence in Algeria. The day of December 11, 1960 was therefore Algeria’s first step towards independence, forcing General de Gaulle to abandon his “third way” project, modeled on the models imposed in the former French colonies.
The past year saw massive protests on the eve of the presidential elections; recalling that in Algeria the people remain sovereign. Today, for the 60 years of the demonstrations of December 11, 1960, Algeria does not even know if it has a President able to govern …
