"At the request of Joël Guin, president of the agglomeration community of Grand Avignon, and Violaine Démaret, prefect of Vaucluse, the services of Grand Avignon are mobilized to remove as soon as possible the new fresco of the artist Lekto," said the agglomeration community in a statement.
"Following the reactions and the growing controversy aroused by the new fresco located on the parking of the Italians in Avignon, the prefect of Vaucluse has agreed with the president of Grand Avignon, owner of the premises, its erasure," abounded the prefecture.
This mural, made on an electrical transformer at the north-east entrance of Avignon, along a departmental road, depicts the head of state in costume, graying hair and the numbers "49.3" (Editor's note: in reference to the article of the constitution used to pass the pension reform in the National Assembly) acting as a mustache.
The message "No thanks" frames in large letters this portrait of Emmanuel Macron, while at the bottom left of the fresco, in smaller, is inscribed the mention: "if ever... satirical painting".
This street-art work is signed by the graffiti artist Lekto, whose previous mural made in the same place at the end of June had already been erased, at the request of the prefecture of Vaucluse.
The economist Jacques Attali was represented as a puppeteer manipulating an Emmanuel Macron-Pinocchio, which had aroused strong reactions on social networks where the anti-Semitic character of the fresco had been denounced.
According to La Provence, Lekto's trial before the Avignon Criminal Court for "public insult because of origin, ethnicity, nation, race or religion, but also public provocation to discrimination" will take place on September 14.
Contacted by AFP, the Avignon prosecutor's office was not able Monday night to confirm or deny the opening of legal proceedings concerning the fresco representing Emmanuel Macron as Adolf Hitler.
© 2023 AFP