The caricature representing the President of the Republic in the guise of Adolf Hitler appeared on a wall in Avignon in early April, before being erased after causing general indignation. However, it reappeared, Thursday, May 18, on about thirty posters plastered on billboards in the city. An investigation for public insult to the president and provocation to rebellion has been opened by the Avignon prosecutor’s office.
These posters are a reproduction of a mural painted by the graffiti artist Letko a little over a month ago and which had been erased at the request of the Greater Avignon conurbation, owner of the building on whose facade it had been painted. They represent Emmanuel Macron in a suit in the guise of the German dictator, with graying hair, with the numbers “49.3” as a mustache, in reference to the article of the Constitution used to pass the pension reform in the National Assembly .
The photo of the fresco which is reproduced there is framed with the words ” No thanks “ and the hashtag #agirousubir, according to photos published by the daily Provence and by France Blue Vaucluse. At the bottom of the page also appears the mention “this is a satirical illustration” as well as a quote from Gandhi: “Civil disobedience becomes a sacred duty when the state becomes outlawed or corrupt”.
An “inadmissible” representation
The author or authors of this savage placarding incur penalties of two months in prison and a fine of 7,500 euros for provocation to rebellion, and a criminal fine of 12,000 euros for insulting the president, a recalled to Agence France-Presse the prosecutor of Avignon, Florence Galtier, Thursday.
The graffiti artist Leiko is already prosecuted in an investigation for incitement to hatred, after having produced an anti-Semitic fresco representing Emmanuel Macron as a puppet manipulated by the economist Jacques Attali, in June 2022. The latter had filed a complaint for incitement to hatred, while the International League against Racism and Anti-Semitism (LICRA) had announced that it would be a civil party.
Thursday, after their discovery, the reproductions of the last fresco of the graffiti artist aroused the indignation of several elected officials and members of the presidential camp, who showed their solidarity with the head of state. They denounced a representation “inadmissible”, like the departmental branch of the presidential party (Renaissance).
“How far will they go in indignity and abjectness? It is high time to punish in the way [plus] severe as possible those who indulge in such heinous campaigns. Total condemnation, and support for Emmanuel Macron », was offended on Twitter the president of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, Renaud Muselier, support of the president.