On January 8, 2026, Social Bandit Media was informed by the Commission for the Surveillance and Control of Publications for Youth (CSJP) that it had issued an unfavorable opinion on the importation and distribution in France of our book, From the River to the Sea: A Colouring Book.
This advisory opinion, dated October 16, 2025, has to date not given rise to any order from the Minister of the Interior aimed at prohibiting its sale or distribution, the only decision likely to justify such a ban.
Social Bandit Media strongly contests the accusations made in this opinion, and in particular the claim that the book is “likely to incite hatred towards a group of people – namely the Israeli population – and to harm the moral development of young people”.
Social Bandit Media also contests the implementation of a criminal procedure aimed at censoring, in fact, a book which has not given rise to any formal ban on sale or distribution to date.
We note that the targeting of this book follows ongoing pressure dating back to the summer of 2025, when pressure groups and far-right forces accused it of anti-Semitism—accusations that are completely unfounded.
We categorically reject these accusations. We also note that we were not informed, as of October 16, 2025, that the Commission had chosen to censor the book.
We would like to express our full support for the Violette & Co bookstore, which underwent a search unworthy of the rule of law, and recall that the freedom of artistic creation and dissemination are protected by the provisions of Articles 1 and 2 of Law No. 2016-925 of July 7, 2016, relating to freedom of creation, architecture, and heritage.
Any attack on these freedoms constitutes an act of censorship, and we support the courageous approach of the bookseller Violette & Co in defending the freedom of artistic distribution.
Finally, we recall that the book whose censorship is underway has been an educational and interactive tool, very popular with children around the world.
To date, at least 22,000 copies of the book have been sold in South Africa, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the Netherlands, India, Pakistan, and other countries.
The continued censorship, in France, of a children’s coloring book disregards the basic rules protecting the freedom of artistic creation and dissemination and constitutes a serious violation of democratic principles.
That the French authorities have chosen to censor a children’s book about Palestine when children were among the worst affected victims in Gaza is simply unacceptable and scandalous.
The silencing of Palestinian stories, especially those aimed at children, is unacceptable.
We reject this act of censorship and will continue to defend the right to publish, read, and tell Palestinian stories without intimidation or pressure of any kind.
We are thankful for the messages of support. We also thank bookstores and individuals in France who have since reached out for the book.
Since the book has been deemed illegal in France, we are making the French-language edition available here as a FREE DOWNLOAD.
Contact us if you would like the pdf.
If you are able to make a donation to our work and our projects, please do so.
Censorship will not work. We refuse to accept it.
To buy ‘From The River To The Sea’ (in English) Click here.
To buy ‘Malcolm X in Gaza’ (in English), Click here
