“If a white woman, a white man, etc. comes to this workshop, I would tend to say that there is no question of throwing him out.
On the other hand, we can ask him to be silent, ask him to be a silent spectator.
This sentence from Audrey Pulvar set social networks on fire on Saturday evening while, earlier in the day, the candidate for regional in Ile-de-France gave her point of view on a controversy that agitates the French political class: racialized single-sex meetings organized by UNEF.
READ ALSO>
“Non-mixed racialized” meetings at Unef: Olivier Faure summoned to come out of silence
To clarify her position, the ex-journalist interviewed on BFM gave an example with LGBTQ meetings and said that as a heterosexual, if she attended, she would shut up unless asked for her opinion.
But not enough to make some people forget his previous sentence, the video extract of which was isolated and widely shared on Twitter.
“
The whites must be silent
.
Audrey's shocking and shameful sentence #Pulvar.
She must apologize to the Republic ”first commented the vice-president of the region Geoffroy Didier on the social network.
"The whites must be silent."
Audrey's shocking and shameful sentence #Pulvar.
She must apologize to the Republic.
#Lesblancsdoiventsetaire pic.twitter.com/2ABshRpCsZ
- Geoffroy Didier (@GeoffroyDidier) March 27, 2021
MP LR, relaying a video published by another vice-president of the region, member of the majority of Valérie Pécresse, Patrick Karam, launched hostilities.
It is thus several figures of the right-wing majority in the region who have stepped up to denounce the remarks of the member of the majority of Anne Hidalgo in Paris.
On BFM TV, Audrey Pulvar justifies single-sex meetings if they are "reserved for" and finds it normal that white people are asked to be silent.
She no longer even pretends to adhere to republican universalism.
Can we imagine for a moment the opposite statement?
- Othman Nasrou (@othmannasrou) March 27, 2021
On the far right, too, the reaction was almost immediate.
The president of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, even called for the intervention of justice against the elected.
“The prosecution must bring charges for incitement to racial discrimination against Ms. Pulvar.
We must put an end to this racist escalation on the part of a part of the extreme left which is free from all legal, moral and republican rules, ”she commented on Twitter.
The prosecution is to initiate a prosecution of incitement to racial discrimination against Ms Pulvar.
We must put an end to this racist escalation on the part of a part of the extreme left which is freed from all legal, moral and republican rules.
MLP https://t.co/l2c6Ty3XOD
- Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) March 27, 2021
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The president of the RN rebounded on the words of her loyal lieutenant Jordan Bardella, head of the IDF list for the regional.
The party immediately took action and made accusations of anti-white racism.
🔴 Head of the PS list for # regionals2021 in #IleDeFrance and PS deputy at the mayor of Paris, Audrey Pulvar drops the mask: she campaigns by taking up calls for racial discrimination against whites.
The moral wreck of the left is total!
⤵️ pic.twitter.com/251Ko2Nves
- National Gathering (@RNational_off) March 27, 2021
The former FN Florian Philippot also supported this view.
The president of the Patriots called on the elected Parisian to resign.
Another reaction, not in the same fashion, from the LREM deputy, Laetitia Avia.
"You can ask a white woman or a white man to be silent."
NO.
The fight against racism does not pass through exclusion and discrimination, but through dialogue, which is the best weapon against prejudice, ”reacted the Parisian parliamentarian.
Shipwreck of @ AudreyPulvar.
"You can ask a white woman or a white man to be silent."
NO.
The fight against racism does not go through exclusion and discrimination, but through dialogue, which is the best weapon against prejudice.https: //t.co/46H0rXFrK3
- Laetitia Avia (@LaetitiaAvia) March 27, 2021
READ ALSO>
Regional: Audrey Pulvar wants to create a "citizens' assembly" in Ile-de-France
Audrey Pulvar has surprisingly found support from Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had already refuted the controversy over the UNEF a few days ago.
“Audrey Pulvar is not racist!
She just understood what a support group is.
Those who pounce on it, on the other hand, cannot hide their sexist and discriminating inclination.
Public debate is collapsing.
Will the PS defend its candidate in Île-de-France?
Asked the leader of France Insoumise.
Audrey Pulvar is not racist!
She just understood what a support group is.
Those who pounce on it, on the other hand, cannot hide their sexist and discriminating inclination.
Public debate is collapsing.
Will the PS defend its candidate in Île-de-France?
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) March 27, 2021
Anne Hidalgo, socialist mayor of Paris, and Olivier Faure, boss of the PS, did not react to this new controversy this Saturday.
During this time, the former journalist had gone to meet the women of Africa (Association for Training, Against Racism and for Active Citizen Intervention) in La Courneuve. This Saturday evening, she had not publicly commented on the extent of the reactions to her mid-day interview.