The illustration of an "uninhibited racism", lambasted the author of the work.
An investigation was opened after the discovery on Tuesday in Paris of a racist inscription on a stenciled portrait of the policeman Ahmed Merabet, coldly murdered by one of the Kouachi brothers in January 2015. This investigation relates to facts of "degradation of" a good intended for the public utility "and" public insult of a racist nature ", indicates to the Parisian the Paris prosecutor, confirming information from AFP.
It was entrusted to the police station of the 11th arrondissement of Paris.
"The Prefect of Police files a complaint against the individuals who have soiled the commemorative plaque of our colleague, the policeman Ahmed Merabet, killed by terrorists during the #Charlie Hebdo attack," the police headquarters also announced on Twitter.
The “cleaned and restored” portrait
The inscription "Bicot" was written in black marker on the policeman's forehead.
The work of Ahmed Merabet, produced by street artist C215, sits on an electrical box on Boulevard Richard Lenoir in the 11th arrondissement, where the policeman was killed at close range on January 7, 2015, a few minutes after the attack on the weekly Charlie Hebdo.
The portrait of Ahmed has been cleaned and restored.
Thank you for your vigilance and your support for preserving the memory of Ahmed Merabet.
I made a commitment: I will maintain this portrait as long as I can.
Thoughts of his family, his mother, his sister.
#jesuisahmed #nonauracism https://t.co/Cvt9CAJamS pic.twitter.com/745zaSqiiM
- C215 (@christianguemy) November 10, 2021
“This type of putrid comment on the freshly restored portrait of Ahmed Merabet, at the very site of his assassination, clearly shows the climate that currently reigns in France, that of uninhibited racism.
I'm going to erase… ”, immediately reacted Christian Guémy, alias C215, on his Instagram account.
The artist finally indicated on Wednesday that the portrait of the policeman had been "cleaned and restored", assuring that he "would maintain this portrait as long as [he] could".
This type of degradation is not a first.
In July 2020, the prefect of police had already lodged a complaint when the official plaque in memory of Ahmed Merabet had been degraded with inscriptions in the green marker: "yes", "acc" "but still?
"," They are the terrorists ".
