The prefect of Martinique apologized and removed Saturday a poster published the day before on social networks to illustrate the physical distancing in the context of the epidemic of coronavirus, described as " shame " by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
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Faced with the start of controversy on social networks, the services of the new prefect Stanislas Cazelles, ex-adviser at the Elysee for the Overseas appointed in February, removed the illustration. " We apologize if it may have hit some of you. The only objective was to show the importance of distancing from the epidemic, "wrote the prefect's communications department on his Twitter account.
The image shows two figures, one black and one white, one meter apart, this distance, recommended by health authorities to combat covid-19, being symbolized by five pineapples.
" The prefect addresses the inhabitants of Martinique and the state publishes this poster? Macronie is this shame too, ”tweeted the leader of La France rebellious Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Saturday morning. The latter then judged " happy " that the prefect " removed his offensive poster ", saying that " it is time that the authorities measure in all circumstances the respect due to citizens, stop infantilizing and discriminating against them and worse than everything, without realizing it, out of class arrogance ”.
" This communication is shameful on behalf of a representative of the State ", affirmed the president of the National gathering Marine Le Pen on Twitter.
" Shameful message from the prefect of Martinique. In 2020, still insulting and racist images! ", Also criticized on the same social network the MEP environmentalist Karima Delli, while the deputy LFI Eric Coquerel castigated" racism and colonialism ".
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" After the " kwassa-kwassa " of Macron, his ex-adviser, prefect of #Martinique, made in neo-colonialism. Apologies have been made and the poster removed is the minimum. But it is all the bodies of the State that must be cleaned up of these nauseating representations ”, reacted the deputy LFI Mathilde Panot.
In early May, the Polynesian Ministry of Tourism launched a local communication campaign to raise awareness of the distancing instructions by recommending a space of " six coconuts " between two people, while the Polynesian Economic Council recommended a distance of " twelve tupa " (crabs, in Tahitian).
