In a controversial operation that has sparked widespread debate about freedom of expression, French police conducted a raid on Violette and Co, a prominent feminist and LGBTQIA+ bookstore in Paris on January 7th. The operation targeted “From the River to the Sea: A Colouring Book” by South African author Nathi Ngubane, which explores Palestinian history, culture, and resistance movements under Israeli occupation.
The raid involved five uniformed officers accompanied by a prosecutor, who conducted a 45-minute search of the premises while wearing body cameras. According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the operation followed a referral from the Ministry of the Interior, which had denounced the book’s “strong historical and ideological bias.” However, no copies were seized as the bookstore had sold all available copies by September.
This incident represents a significant escalation from previous controversies surrounding the same title, which had triggered far-right vandalism and threats against the establishment during the summer. The bookstore’s legal representative, Thibault Laforcade, condemned the operation as “illegal and disproportionate,” arguing that the October recommendation to ban the book’s import by the Commission for the Surveillance and Control of Publications for Youth lacked legal foundation.
The raid has ignited fierce criticism across political, cultural, and online communities, with many denouncing it as an attack on cultural freedoms and an example of political policing. Several elected officials pointed to a pattern of pressure against the independent bookstore, including previous political attacks, vandalism, and attempts to cut its public funding.
The incident has also been linked to broader legislative debates in France, particularly the proposed “Yadan bill” on combating renewed forms of antisemitism. Critics warn that such legislation could further restrict freedom of expression regarding criticism of Israeli policies, with some arguing that the raid demonstrates these constraints are already being enforced.
Bookstore staff have been summoned for questioning later this month as part of an ongoing police investigation, while the publisher, Social Bandit Media, has rejected accusations that the children’s book incites hatred or harms moral development.