A time of tribute before launching the final quarter-final of this Rugby world championship. Sunday evening at the Stade de France, players, members of the staff of the French and South African teams and the approximately 80,000 spectators present respected a minute of silence in tribute to the recent victims of terrorism.
Just before singing the anthems, and after being loudly encouraged by the public, Antoine Dupont and his teammates were invited by the stadium announcers, in English then in French, to gather for “a moment of silence in solidarity with everyone who has been affected” in recent days. “It is more important than ever that a spirit of global solidarity reigns,” insisted the speaker. Overall, this moment of contemplation was respected. Only a few people saw fit to make themselves heard by shouting…
On Friday, World Rugby announced that a minute of silence would be observed before the four matches of the weekend. This was the case on Saturday, in Marseille, for “all victims of terrorism” ahead of the match between Wales and Argentina (17-29), then Saturday evening in Saint-Denis at the Stade de France before the anthems of the Ireland – New Zealand match, “in solidarity with all those affected by the terrorist attacks and the innocent victims”.
A tribute to Dominique Bernard, professor who died on Friday in Arras
Finally, a third was held on the sidelines of England-Fiji, again at the Stade Vélodrome this Sunday, and this time was perfectly respected. The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, in power in Gaza, launched an unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7. According to a latest report, more than 1,400 civilians have died on the Israeli side. The Gaza Ministry of Health says that more than 2,320 people were killed, including 724 children.
This moment of silence was also intended to pay tribute to Dominique Bernard, a teacher stabbed to death on Friday in an Islamist attack in a middle school in Arras, as well as to the other injured people. A national tribute is planned for Monday.
