Aya Nakamura burns racist banner at Stade de France concert opening

French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura made a powerful statement on Friday night by burning a large racist banner during the opening of her concert at the Stade de France. This act served as a direct response to a banner displayed by identity group "Les Natifs" in March 2024, which opposed her planned performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

As Nakamura made her entrance, a giant screen showed images of her arriving by helicopter over Paris. The screen then revealed a banner with the message: "Y’a pas moyen Aya. Ici c’est Paris, pas le marché de Bamako" (roughly translated as "No way, Aya. This is Paris, not the market of Bamako"). Flames erupted from the screen, destroying the banner and unveiling the artist amidst a spectacle of pyrotechnics and dancers.

The banner incident dates back to March 2024, when "Les Natifs" activists unfurled it in Paris. They had previously voiced opposition to Nakamura's involvement in the Olympic Games. The group had also altered lyrics from her hit song "Djadja" and posted a photo of the banner online. In September 2025, ten activists from the group received fines for "insult" related to the incident. Three individuals received immediate fines, while others received suspended sentences.