French government condemns celebrations of Le Pen death

Officials in France have condemned street celebrations marking the death of notorious far-right figure Jean-Marie Le Pen, according to RFI. Interior minister Bruno Retailleau said “nothing, absolutely nothing justifies dancing on a corpse.”

“The death of a man, even if he is a political opponent, should inspire only restraint and dignity. These scenes of jubilation are deeply disgraceful,” he added.  Le Pen was described by PM François Bayrou as a “fighter” and a “figure of French political life”.

Le Pen, who reached the final round of the 2002 presidential election, was a hugely controversial figure who had been fined for comments on the holocaust, Muslims and Roma people. He had also been accused of torture during France’s war in Algeria.

RFI