France: opening of the trial of a member of the "Anti-Negrophobia Brigade"

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4 min

This Friday, August 14 in Paris opens the trial of Franco Lollia, spokesperson for the “Anti-Negrophobia Brigade” movement, accused of having tagged the statue of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Facts that occur in a particular context following the racist assassination of George Floyd, in the United States. A racism denounced in France by the militants of the “Anti-Negrophobia Brigade”.

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This Thursday, June 23, in the middle of the afternoon, the statue of one of Louis XIV's main minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who sits in front of the National Assembly, is stormed.

Stained with blood-red paint on his chest, on his legs and an inscription: "State Negroophobia" in capital letters. Jean-Baptiste Colbert, was the initiator of the Black Code codifying the status of slaves.

The police stationed in front of the National Assembly did not see the author of these degradations coming: his name is Franco Lollia. The scene was filmed. The gesture remains symbolic and also wants to be militant.

The objective of this movement - the “Anti-Negrophobia Brigade” - is to denounce institutional racism in France . It therefore carries out shock actions that it publicizes.

In October 2010, for example, she called for a boycott of the famous perfume brand Guerlain following the racist remarks made by her heir Jean-Paul Guerlain.

Denounce, take legal action, such is the mission of this brigade, which since its creation in 2005, following violence in the suburbs, has fought “radically” against the injustices and discrimination to which blacks are victims in France.

Me Dominique Monotuka is Franco Lollia's lawyer. He denounces the attitude of France which defends a statue of a man who is at the initiative of the Black Code, which legislated slavery in the French colonies.

We are going to ask France, through its tribunal, why this attitude. What have the blacks done to them to make them so determined to take my client into custody and take him to court.

Me Dominique Monotuka, lawyer for Franco Lollia, the spokesperson for the "Anti-Negrophobia Brigade"

Sylvie Koffi

Franco Lollia will be judged this Friday for facts of "inscription, sign or drawing made on a facade, a public road or street furniture". He risks a fine of up to 3,750 euros and a general interest work penalty.

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• France
• Justice
• Racism
• Slavery

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