Philippe Vardon welcomed Marion Maréchal-Le Pen yesterday at Square Durandy to celebrate “The Niçoise Right Festival.” In response, the association “Friends of Democracy” organized an “anti-fascist demonstration” at Place Garibaldi. What should we take away from these events?
Food truck, raffle, concert… The atmosphere at Square Durandy was intended to be festive and political! By 7 PM, there were already nearly 400 participants. On stage, the young singer declared: “In memory of a France I never knew but miss.” The first guitar notes of Aznavour’s Ma Bohème followed. The audience was delighted, and the party was in full swing. The Reconquête party was truly the central element of this celebration of the Niçoise Right. Indeed, the vice-president of the party, Marion Maréchal, was particularly awaited this evening. She was accompanied by Philippe Vardon, a municipal, metropolitan, and regional councilor.
This event undeniably sparked controversy. Thus, a protest reaction animated the anti-fascist demonstration held at Place Garibaldi.
“M’en bati siau antifascista”
“I don’t care, I’m anti-fascist” could be read on signs at Garibaldi. Initially, the Niçoise authorities received a letter from the association “Friends of Democracy,” requesting the prohibition of this “Niçoise Right festival.” With no response, the activists decided to protest in public. For these opposition circles, this festival symbolizes a tendency to normalize the far-right. In their eyes, this event appears in the context of recent government directives to ban representations of the “ultra-right”, as “an opportunity to publicly display anti-constitutional, fascist, racist programs.” In response to the song Ma Bohème, Place Garibaldi answered with a poem that paid tribute to youth, “To you, my youth!”, declared the activist. Flags, a “chamboule-tout” game depicting opponents, mood setting sound… Friendliness and festivity were also the order of the day for this “anti-fascist mobilization” which gathered nearly 200 people.
