(Editor’s note) This statement from Philippe Vardon revives the themes of freedom of expression and tolerance.
If the reported facts are confirmed, we are facing a drift that must be rejected before the situation goes too far.
It is true that the same Philippe Vardon participates with full conviction in this kind of struggle that he calls “anti-Islamization,” which has some links with “souchisme” (at least from a cultural point of view).
That said, we were right to fear in our previous articles on the same subject that by playing the sorcerer’s apprentice, there would be the risk of no longer being able to manage the issue.
The call is to come together around a common life project, each with their own particularities and accepting each other’s differences.
At noon (Editor’s note: this Thursday), I was interviewed in front of the mosque on Rue de Suisse (where street prayers used to take place) by the team of “Complément d’Enquête” (France 2), which is currently filming a report on identity movements.
A crowd gradually gathered around us, a discussion started with some Muslims, and we were quickly attacked violently. It took a lot of composure to avoid being lynched by a group of about thirty individuals mixing thugs and neighborhood dealers, newly arrived illegal immigrants, and bearded men, of course… Insults, threats, anti-French and anti-Semitic remarks (I was called “dirty Jew” several times simply for denouncing Islamization) punctuated the incident.
I hope these images will be included in the final edit of the report!
This, in any case, testifies to the beautiful spirit of dialogue and openness that seems to animate a part of the Muslims frequenting the Rue de Suisse mosque. For my part, I remain open to any calm debate, just as I remain determined in the fight against the Islamization of our city.
Philippe Vardon – President of Nissa Rebela
