The Prime Minister recalled that racism was not an opinion. Bally Bagayoko is mayor, he added, “he is a state agent, and as a state agent, he deserves special protection†.
The head of government pointed out the “collective responsibility” that there is to refuse any form of violence in the political debate.
The Prime Minister’s announcement came a few minutes after the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, indicated to deputies that the government was studying the possibility of initiating criminal proceedings. He added: “We are going to examine these comments†to determine “whether there is racial discrimination and public insult†. This weekend, he reacted to the CNews program by emphasizing that “racism is not an opinion, it is a poison, and that is what it is about, it is a criminal offense.”
Interpellations
The environmentalist deputy Steevy Gustave, environmentalist deputy for the 3rd constituency of Essonne, yesterday spoke in front of his colleagues to remind us that “you can be black and French, that you can come from a working-class neighborhood and become mayor and that in democracy, it is universal suffrage that counts, (…) when we attack an elected official based on his skin color or his origins, it is no longer politics but racism.â€
He himself has suffered remarks because he wears dreadlocks and is originally from Martinique.
A large anti-racist rally is organized on Saturday April 4 in front of the town hall of Saint-Denis (Seine-Saint-Denis).
