crime
Macron: Unforgivable 1961 Paris Massacre
“The crimes that were committed that night (…) are unforgivable for the republic”: Emmanuel Macron Photo: Ludovic Marin / AFP / AP / dpa
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On October 17, 1961, a boycott by French Muslims was bloodily suppressed – it resulted in death. French President Emmanuel Macron condemns the acts, but his words about the massacre are met with divided echo.
Sixty years after the bloody massacre of Algerians in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the acts as inexcusable.
“The crimes that were committed that night (…) are unforgivable for the republic,” said a letter from the Elysée Palace on Saturday. France recognized its clear responsibility. Macron had previously attended a memorial event in Colombes near Paris. According to Élysée, he is the first President to attend such a commemoration.
Macron’s words about the massacre 60 years ago were met with mixed feedback. While the move was viewed as historical on the one hand, calls were made to go further and to recognize the events of October 17, 1961 as a state crime.
The memorial event in Colombes took place at the foot of the Pont de Bezons. Numerous Algerians set out from Colombes to boycott demonstrations in 1961, according to the Élysée. Accordingly, several corpses were later recovered from the Seine here. In the presence of relatives of the victims and those involved, Macron observed a minute’s silence. A wreath was also laid in memory. Relatives threw white roses into the Seine. With Didier Lallement, a police prefect laid a wreath in memory of the victims for the first time on Sunday, according to the Paris police.