The young and combative newly appointed leader of the Nice branch of the National Front likely wanted to make a statement by taking a stance on the provocation by the American singer regarding the concert scheduled for August 21. Could the controversy become a political issue? By invoking the “moral responsibility” of the Nice City Hall, Gaël Nofri plays his trump card. What will be Christian Estrosi’s response? After the “clip” issue of Ariane, will there be one for Nikaïa? It seems that politics doesn’t take a vacation on the Côte d’Azur…
In light of the attitude of the management company of the Palais Nikaïa reported in the July 17 edition of Nice Matin concerning the Madonna-Le Pen controversy, I find it necessary to react.
The group exploiting the venue under a concession from the City cannot absolve itself of the responsibility for the content of the shows it hosts, especially if they are defamatory, illegal, or deeply insulting to significant chapters of our History. I therefore urge local elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, to come out of the cautious reserve they seem to have settled into.
It is notably up to the Mayor of Nice and members of his Municipal Council to react since the City remains the owner of the site. The Public Service Delegation should not exempt the political authority from its moral responsibility in this matter.
Beyond that, it is necessary for the elected representatives of our community, regardless of their political beliefs, to express their refusal to see a representative of the people, in whom 7 million of our fellow citizens find themselves, be insulted in this way. They must also unequivocally condemn the amalgamations and rewritings of History done for purely commercial purposes.
Demanding the removal of a few contentious seconds is not much, letting it happen again creates a precedent whose implications cannot be understood today.
Mr. Gilbert MELKONIAN, Director of Nikaïa
Your venue is hosting the singer Madonna on August 21. While I am pleased for you about this event, I cannot help but draw your attention to the real risks surrounding this event which concern me.
Indeed, and on two occasions, this artist has deliberately chosen to politicize her concerts by including in her videos inadmissible attacks on the image and honor of Marine Le Pen. As you know, a complaint will be filed by the concerned party.
Worse, she has played with ambiguity and conflation by associating a patriotic, republican, and representative political party with tragedies that belong to our collective past.
To relativize, distort, and betray such references appears to me to be a serious act, bordering on an unacceptable rewriting of History.
The absolute freedom of artistic creation cannot justify everything; it cannot tolerate such serious acts, especially when the sole aim seems to be to reclaim lost fame.
I count on you and your sense of responsibility to ensure that the contentious part of this video is not broadcast in Nice out of respect for a pending court decision, for respect for History, and for harmony.
