Macron warns of 'demons of antisemitism' resurfacing in France, honoring Dreyfus
Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the resurgence of antisemitism, comparing it to "demons" from the past.
- The remarks came during a ceremony unveiling a statue honoring Captain Alfred Dreyfus, who was wrongly convicted in the 19th century due to anti-Jewish bias.
- The event occurred shortly after a suspicious vehicle with weapons was found near a synagogue, prompting a terrorism investigation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly condemned what he described as the "resurgence of the demons of antisemitism" that have cast a shadow over France's past and present. His remarks were made during a ceremony dedicating a statue to Captain Alfred Dreyfus, whose wrongful conviction for treason in the late 19th century exposed deep-seated anti-Jewish prejudice within the French establishment.
We know that the old demons of antisemitism have never completely disappeared from our country.
The unveiling of the statue, located near the Court of Cassation – France's highest court which exonerated Dreyfus 120 years ago on July 12, 1906 – took place amidst heightened security concerns. Hours before the ceremony, police evacuated around 300 people from the Paris suburb of Sarcelles after intelligence services identified a suspicious vehicle containing military-grade weapons near a synagogue. Prosecutors have launched a terrorism investigation into the incident.
On 12 July, 1906, the Court of Cassation, France's highest court, cleared Dreyfus of all charges.
France, home to Europe's largest Jewish population, has seen a rise in antisemitic acts, including threats, vandalism, and physical assaults, particularly following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Macron stated, "We know that the old demons of antisemitism have never completely disappeared from our country," urging constant vigilance to prevent acts targeting individuals based on their identity.
On 12 July, 1906, the Court of Cassation, France's highest court, cleared Dreyfus of all charges.
Charles Dreyfus, the 99-year-old grandson of Captain Dreyfus, attended the ceremony and expressed his sorrow at witnessing the resurgence of antisemitism with such intensity. He noted that his sadness was tempered by the joy of seeing his grandfather honored with a statue depicting him proudly holding a broken sword. Macron declared that July 12 will henceforth be a national day of commemoration for Dreyfus's innocence.
I must admit that I could not have imagined, at my age, seeing the resurgence of antisemitism with such vehemence in our country.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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