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Macron warns of returning antisemitism in France
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Macron warns of returning antisemitism in France

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • French President Emmanuel Macron warned of the resurgence of antisemitism in France during the first National Day of Commemoration for Captain Alfred Dreyfus.
  • Macron stressed the need for constant vigilance against antisemitic acts, stating they continue to target individuals based on their identity.
  • The commemoration marked the 120th anniversary of the French Supreme Court's decision to exonerate Dreyfus, who was wrongly convicted of treason due to his Jewish faith.

French President Emmanuel Macron has issued a stark warning about the resurgence of "old demons" of antisemitism within France. Speaking at the first National Day of Commemoration for Captain Alfred Dreyfus, Macron emphasized the critical need for "permanent vigilance" against acts that continue to target individuals solely for their identity.

The old demons of antisemitism have never completely disappeared from our country.

— Emmanuel MacronWarning about the persistent threat of antisemitism in France.

"The old demons of antisemitism have never completely disappeared from our country," Macron stated during the ceremony in Paris. He underscored that antisemitic acts "continue to strike people for what they are," and in the face of "the return of odious antisemitism," vigilance is a "duty at all times." The President framed the Dreyfus affair, a major political and judicial crisis in French history, as a perpetual lesson for the Republic. He cautioned that "Dreyfusism" should not be viewed as a closed historical episode but rather as a "state of mind" dedicated to defending truth, justice, and combating prejudice.

antisemitic acts continue to strike people for what they are

— Emmanuel MacronDescribing the nature of ongoing antisemitic attacks.

The commemoration on July 12 marked the 120th anniversary of the French Supreme Court's decision in 1906 to annul the conviction against Alfred Dreyfus, proclaiming his innocence after twelve years. Macron highlighted that the rule of law is measured not by its infallibility but by its capacity for self-correction, asserting the Republic's ability to acknowledge errors and rectify injustices. He also announced plans to promote the installation of plaques honoring 'Righteous Among the Nations' at locations where Jews were hidden and saved during the Nazi occupation, urging municipalities to participate.

The rule of law is not measured by its ability to never make mistakes, but by its ability to correct itself.

— Emmanuel MacronHighlighting the importance of institutional self-correction in the context of the Dreyfus case.

The ceremony took place against a backdrop of heightened security concerns. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed an ongoing investigation following the discovery of a suspicious vehicle in Sarcelles, north of Paris, containing a "rifle, a weapon of war." The car was parked near a commercial area, a cinema, and a synagogue, prompting the precautionary evacuation of approximately 300 people the previous night. The motives behind this discovery remain unclear.

a rifle, a weapon of war

— Laurent NuñezDescribing the discovery in a suspicious vehicle near a synagogue.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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