Ten years after the July 14, 2016 attack in Nice, the city pays tribute to the 86 victims this Tuesday, July 14. The presence of Marine Le Pen, invited by mayor Éric Ciotti, is generating contrasting political reactions before a ceremony marked by remembrance and reflection.
Nice is commemorating this Tuesday the tenth anniversary of the July 14, 2016 attack. A day of reflection in memory of the 86 victims and over 400 wounded, in the presence of President of the Republic Emmanuel Macron, former heads of state François Hollande and Nicolas Sarkozy, Prince Albert II of Monaco, as well as numerous political representatives who will be present at the end of the day for the closing of the commemorations.
The morning began with a republican parade on Place Masséna. Military personnel, police officers, firefighters and paramedic teams were warmly applauded by victims’ families and the public present.
Invited by Éric Ciotti, UDR mayor of Nice, Marine Le Pen took a seat in the front row of the morning ceremony alongside deputies Christelle D’Intorni and Bernard Chaix. According to the municipal team, “all party presidents as well as the presidents of groups in the National Assembly, Senate and European Parliament” were invited to the commemorations of the tenth anniversary of the attack.
Upon her arrival, the president of the RN group in the National Assembly received applause. Following the parade, Marine Le Pen explained the reason for her presence: “it is extremely important to be present to express compassion and the determination to ensure we do not fall asleep in the fight against terrorism (…) Just because there hasn’t been an attack doesn’t mean we should lower our guard.”
This presence nonetheless fueled controversy. Nice’s left wing denounced a politicization of this day of tribute. In a statement, David Nakache (All Citizens 06) believes that the invitation extended to Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella transforms the commemoration into a partisan event, when, according to elected officials, this date should remain a moment of national unity dedicated to the victims and their families: “The pain of the victims and families of victims is immense. Their situation is particularly difficult because to the trauma of the attack were added post-attack events. The need for transparency and truth is great. The national tribute must be entirely dedicated to them and not be diverted from its purpose.”
The debate was also fueled by an editorial from Nice-Matin, which writes: “Memory and mourning call for silence and respect, not a communication operation plotted as a stepping stone to the Élysée.”
Conversely, the president of the Alpes-Maritimes department, Charles Ange Ginésy, called for unity in a message published on the occasion of July 14. “This year, this national holiday has a very particular resonance, as we are also commemorating the ten years since the Nice attack, in tribute to the victims, their families and all those who demonstrated exemplary courage. Together, united in remembrance as in hope, let us uphold the values that unite us. Long live the Republic, long live France.”
The departmental secretary of the French Communist Party in the Alpes-Maritimes and member of the opposition on Nice’s municipal council, Julien Picot, also called for this day to be a moment of gathering. In a statement, the elected official believes that “reflection is a duty. But memory only makes sense if it nourishes commitment.” Julien Picot adds that “in the face of terrorism, our response must never be fear, withdrawal or division and calls for defending a united and indivisible Republic, faithful to its motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”
The rest of the commemorations
The official ceremony is to begin at 6 p.m. on Place Masséna. A montage of testimonies will open the tribute. Then, 43 children and 43 first responders will lay an olive branch on the 86 blue chairs, each symbolizing one victim of the Promenade des Anglais attack.
The evening will conclude with a show of 2,016 drones, before 86 light beams are projected into the sky at 10:34 p.m., the time when the truck used by Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel was stopped on July 14, 2016.
Beyond the political exchanges, several relatives of victims present at the scene regretted that attention was sometimes focused more on political leaders than on the memory of those who died. For many families, this day must above all remain one of remembrance, reflection and tribute to the 86 victims of the Nice attack.
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