Urban guerrilla scenes in the heart of Paris. Since 6 p.m., the Gare de Lyon district has been completely besieged by demonstrators who did not hesitate to burn cars and scooters, while physically catching firefighters who came to put out the fire. The cause of tensions? The concert scheduled this Friday evening of the very controversial singer Fally Ipupa, at the AccorHotels Arena.
See also: Fire in vehicles near the Gare de Lyon
The artist, born in 1977 in Kinshasa is one of the pillars of the Congolese rumba. In more than twenty years of career, the artist has released five solo albums and several others alongside the groups Talents Latent and Quartier Latin International. The man, who sang with Youssoupha, Mokobé, Alpha Blondy or Youssou N'Dour, is accused by opponents of being close to the former president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila and his successor Félix Tshisekedi. His coming to France aroused the concern of the authorities. Seven declared demonstrations had been banned and the first arrests began at midday in the Bercy sector.
I've been here for 30 years because of them! 30 years and we let them happen here in France as if nothing had happened. So, yes, we are angry
Willy Dendebe, opponent of the Kinshasa regime"With their music, they are taking an entire people on their side while they slaughter and rape women and children" , indignantly told AFP an opponent, Willy Dendebe, disgusted by the holding of the concert. "I've been here for 30 years because of them! 30 years and we let them happen here in France as if nothing had happened. So yes, we are angry! ”
It's a shame, he's a Congolese, we should all be behind him. (...) We will talk badly about us. They put people in danger and they will surely cancel the concert
Lwangi Bienvenu, fan of Fally IpupaFan of the singer and coming from Belgium expressly, Lwangi Bienvenu contemplated the disorder from his hotel near the Gare de Lyon. "It's a shame, he's a Congolese, we should all be behind him ," he regretted. We're going to talk badly about us. They put people in danger and they will surely cancel the concert. ”