Hundreds of people gathered across France after the death of the co-founder of the National Front at the age of 96.
Several hundred opponents of Jean-Marie Le Pen gathered Tuesday evening in several cities in France to celebrate, with songs, smoke bombs and fireworks, the death of the co-founder of the National Front. “This dirty racist is dead”said in Paris a sign brandished in the crowd of a few hundred people who formed at the start of the evening at Place de la République, and where a few flags of the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) were flying.
“Youth annoys the National Front”chanted participants, some of whom had climbed on the central statue, while others launched anti-fascist slogans, noted AFP journalists. There, as in Lyon, some fireworks were set off.
“Nothing, absolutely nothing justifies dancing on a corpse. The death of a man, even a political opponent, should inspire only restraint and dignity. These scenes of jubilation are simply shameful”commented Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau on X.
200 to 300 people in Marseille
In Lyon, some 200 to 300 people gathered around 7 p.m. in the city center, noted an AFP journalist, at the call of the ultra-left, in order to “party” after the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, as stated in the appeal launched on the Rebellyon account, on , the atmosphere was also festive, between bottles of champagne, little party hats and this sign: “Finally”.
“It’s the death of a character that we hate, because he was misogynist, racist, Holocaust denier, anti-Semitic and all that. We must celebrate when such hateful characters die.explained to AFP Louise Delporte, a 20-year-old political science student. “It’s a dying symbol and it’s really good to know that. A symbol of an extreme right which no longer has any meaning today. Unfortunately, she still exists and we must remember that she must not be alive.rejoiced Vivien Perez, a young 24-year-old musician.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, finalist in the 2002 presidential election, died Tuesday at the age of 96 in the Paris region, in an establishment where he had been admitted several weeks ago. Massive demonstrations were organized across France in the spring of 2002 against his qualification for the second round of the presidential election which pitted him against Jacques Chirac.
