This Monday, a bust representing General De Gaulle was discovered vandalized in the commune of Hautmont, near Maubeuge, in the North. An act denounced by the president of Hauts-de-France, Xavier Bertrand, who claims "strong sanctions. "
The statue of General De Gaulle, installed on the eponymous place, in Hautmont, was covered with orange paint. On the back of the monument, the inscription "slave owner" was stenciled using the same color. An act of vandalism that takes place three days before the commemorations of the June 18 appeal.
A movement that is gaining momentum after the death of George Floyd
"At a time when we must remember that General De Gaulle brought to life the flame of resistance, the vandalization of this statue in Hautmont is scandalous," protested Xavier Bertrand on Twitter.
A few days before the commemorations of the # 18 June call, at a time when we must remember that General #DeGaulle brought to life the flame of resistance, the vandalization of this statue in Hautmont is scandalous. This calls for strong sanctions! pic.twitter.com/jdtaMNU48b
- Xavier Bertrand (@xavierbertrand) June 15, 2020A news item that echoes the call of American personalities, like Taylor Swift, to remove the statues of characters linked to racism. This movement, born of the demonstrations which followed the death of George Floyd in the USA, spread to other countries, in particular in Great Britain or in Belgium.
In France, it is characters like Colbert or Jules Ferry who are controversial. In Lille, in 2018, several collectives had asked to rename the rue Faidherbe, "father of French imperialism. "
Politics
Slavery: The Mayor refuses to rename the Colbert building in Bercy in the midst of a memorial controversy
World
UK: Boris Johnson creates commission on racial inequality
- George Floyd
- Statue
- Vandalism
- Charles de Gaulle
- News