Le Figaro Nice
A banner targeting Israel was unfurled from the top of the famous Bellanda Tower in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) late Saturday afternoon.
Visible from the Promenade des Anglais, it was quickly spotted by the police, who removed it around 5:45 p.m.
In capital letters was written the slogan “Israel assassin”, in connection with the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which follows the bloody attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023. Concerning the “S”, the Nazi inscription “SS ”, in red, was used and was clearly identifiable.
On his Threads account, the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi (Horizons), “strongly”
denounced
the deployment of this poster
“repeating Nazi symbolism”
.
“I call for heavy sanctions against this apology for crime and terrorism
,” he added.
Also read: In Nice, could the support shown for Israel be the origin of a series of anti-Semitic acts?
No arrests yet
Questioned on BFMTV in connection with the start of the Nice carnival that day, the councilor indicated that the city's video surveillance cameras had recorded the images where we see those responsible installing the banner.
“We are in the process, with the prosecutor, with the prefect, of using all means to challenge them
,” he added, specifying that the town hall would take civil action.
At this stage, the police have not yet made any arrests, we were told this Monday.
This is not the first time that an incident linked to the conflict between Hamas and Israel has occurred in the Riviera capital.
On January 13, a similar “boycott Israel” banner was installed in the same location.
The municipality had also decided to project an Israeli flag on the same Bellanda tower before an agent responsible for monitoring the projector was threatened by several individuals.
To stem the threat of an increase in anti-Semitic acts, the prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes had also wanted to ban pro-Palestinian demonstrations thirteen times but the summary judge reversed this decision each time.
A handful of activists meet every Saturday on Place Garibaldi.