As part of a trip abroad to discuss immigration and security issues with several of his counterparts, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, visited Tunisia and Algeria on Sunday, November 8.
In Algiers, the minister took the opportunity to pay tribute to the “
martyrs
” of the FLN - the national liberation front created in 1954 to obtain independence from France for Algeria.
By laying a tricolor wreath in front of the memorial, Gérald Darmanin aroused the indignation of part of the right.
“
Homage to the martyrs of the war
”, we can read on the Twitter account of the Minister of the Interior, where the latter himself published, on Sunday, a video of him in front of the Memorial of the Martyr of Algiers.
His gesture prompted, in the wake, a number of indignant reactions.
Emmanuel Macron had already laid a wreath in 2017
“
Scandalous!
“, Reacted immediately Louis Aliot, mayor (National Gathering) of Perpignan.
"
What an insult for the Harkis and the black feet to see Darmanin pay homage to their FLN assassins!"
What an affront to the army and our veterans
”, added the deputy RN Thierry Mariani.
In the Gard, the deputy of the party with the red flame Nicolas Meizonnet for his part evoked the “
dishonor
” caused by the Minister of the Interior.
"
Follower of repentance at all costs, this government does not like France and its history
", he declared.
“
This monument is only dedicated to the dead of the FLN and Algerian terrorists.
To those who murdered civilians, raped women, tortured children, who had only one fault: being French.
You insult our dead, who are the real martyrs of FLN barbarism
, ”declared Stéphane Ravier, RN senator from Bouches-du-Rhone.
Read also: Macron and Algeria: the quicksand of memorial repentance
In 2017, Emmanuel Macron had nevertheless made the same symbolic gesture.
After strolling through the streets of Algiers, the president laid a wreath in front of the monument.
During his election campaign, the candidate qualified colonization as a "
crime against humanity
", arousing criticism from Republicans and the National Rally.