ERIC FEFERBERG / AFP
Yassine Belattar and Emmanuel Macron photographed in Les Mureaux in March 2017 (illustration).
POLITICS – A name that did not appear on the initial list, a comedian regularly targeted by the far right, a visit heavy with symbols… The surprise appearance of the artist Yassine Belattar during Emmanuel Macron's state visit in Morocco this Monday, October 28, provoked a wave of outraged reactions among various personalities of the extreme right (political and editorial), who compete in indignant speeches to denounce its presence.
Among them, the president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, who expressed his anger on the social network How can this so-called comedian, convicted of death threats, close to the CCIF anti-Semites, be present on a trip of this importance in the company of the President of the Republic? It's as disrespectful for France as it is for Morocco », Judged the leader of the Lepéniste party.
Reading this content may result in cookies being placed by the third-party operator who hosts it. Taking into account the choices you have expressed regarding the deposit of cookies, we have blocked the display of this content. If you wish to access it, you must accept the “Third Party Content” category of cookies by clicking on the button below.
Play Video
Marshal and Belattar's “tracksuit”
On the same platform, Marion Maréchal also seized the opportunity, taking the opportunity to add a comment on the comedian's outfit. “ Yassine Belattar, who is also in a tracksuit, does not represent France. This person sentenced to 4 months in prison for death threats, who is also a traveling companion of the Islamists, shames the French delegation visiting the friendly country of Morocco.she added.
On CNews, where the subject monopolizes a significant part of the airtime, the mayor of Béziers Robert Ménard for his part delivered an analysis explaining, according to him, the presence of the comedian born in France to Moroccan parents on site: “it's the fascination of men of power for the little scum (…) there are always bourgeois who want to associate with thugs”.
In this concert of indignation, the comedian's slayers also denounce a presence which would have been ” hidden » by the Élysée, to the extent that he did not appear in the (already plethoric) list of guests appearing in the delegation of the Head of State. However, after the arrival of Emmanuel Macron on site, the Élysée released a second list, in which Yassine Belattar appears, with eleven additional guests (notably the chef Jais Mimoun). The entourage of the head of state denies any “concealment” and points out that among these dozen names added there is also a minister, in this case Thani Mohamed Soilihi, in charge of La Francophonie.
Belattar expresses his pride on Instagram
Note that almost a year ago to the day, it was his invitation to the presidential palace by advisors to the Head of State which provoked similar reactions. Near the HuffPost, the person concerned (whom some describe “ close to Emmanuel Macron “) had confided that the publicity of this informal meeting had earned him a barrage of racist insults and death threats. As today, political leaders who abhor the artist highlighted his sentence in September 2023 to four months suspended prison sentence for death threats to support their indignation.
A recall of criminal record of which Yassine Belattar is the only one, in the delegation of the Head of State, to be the subject today. Because the long list of guests accompanying Emmanuel Macron to Rabat includes, for example, the photographer François-Marie Banier, sentenced in 2016 to four years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros for abusing Liliane Bettencourt. A presence with which neither Jordan Bardella nor Marion Maréchal have, obviously, found fault.
Instagram Yassine Belattar
Anyway, Yassine Belattar alluded (without going into too much detail) to the controversy on his Instagram account. “ A historic moment, no need to make a fuss “, he reacted, saying to himself “ iron » for having participated in the event.
Also see on HuffPost:
Reading this content may result in cookies being placed by the third-party operator who hosts it. Taking into account the choices you have expressed regarding the deposit of cookies, we have blocked the display of this content. If you wish to access it, you must accept the “Third Party Content” category of cookies by clicking on the button below.
Play Video