Hundreds of people gathered in Paris on Thursday evening during protests organized by French far-right politician Eric Zemmour to denounce the murder of a twelve-year-old girl last week.
At the protest on October 20, Zemmour was joined by other far-right politicians and members of the French Rassemblement National (RN), (formerly named the National Front between 1972–2018). Key far-right figures were present including Marion Maréchal Le Pen at the rally at Place Denfert-Rochereau, organized by the "Institute for Justice", an association with links to Zemmour.
The circumstances of the death of twelve-year-old Lola, who was found dead in northeast Paris last week, and the profile of the suspect, an Algerian national, have been instrumentalized by the right and the extreme right, to criticize the government for its management of immigration.
Also read: French far right politician Éric Zemmour's lies about asylum seekers' rights
Extreme-right blames violent crime on immigration
A banner stating "Gathering for the victims", hung behind the podium, and a banner reading "elected officials, you will be held accountable" had been hung on the statue of the lion that stands at the heart of the square.
In the crowd, some demonstrators carried placards with Lola's face, others with inscriptions reading "Lola could have been our little sister," with a white rose in the hand.
The rally began with a moment of silence, then several people followed each other on to the stage to give examples of other crimes "that could have been avoided."
The RN, which was initially supposed to participate in the rally, finally organized a minute of silence at the same time in front of the National Assembly "in tribute to Lola and in support of her family and her loved ones".
"The entire French nation was terribly shocked by this barbaric murder and "we are witnessing one crime too many, one that now requires us to take effective action," said Le Pen, the leader of the RN to those present. Le Pen denied using Lola's killing for political gain.
"A minute's silence is never a political recovery, it is a tribute," she said after the rally, which brought together MPs, MEPs and regional RN councillors.
After news broke that the 24-year-old suspect had previously been ordered to leave France within 30 days in the summer, the far-right has been quick to seize on the killing as an example of the failure of French immigration policy. The French foreign minister has confirmed that the suspect who was not previously known to police, entered France legally as a student, but was later given an expulsion order known as an "obligation to leave French territory" (OQTF).
Protests across France
In Lyon, more than 300 people gathered at about 7pm in front of the Rhone Court of Assizes, on the gates of which was attached a large banner reading "Justice for Lola".
In Metz about 100 people, some of them from local far-right groups (Cocarde Lorraine, Action Française...), gathered in the evening and laid flowers and candles in front of Lola's portrait, at the foot of Saint-Etienne cathedral, after holding a minute of silence.
The LR elected officials did not participate in the rallies on Thursday, but their criticism continued, and the head of the LR senators Bruno Retailleau announced the upcoming filing of a bill to call for the state to engage with its "responsibilities" when it "fails to meet its obligations", with possible "damages to victims", according to a statement.
On Tuesday, the French government declared that it must "do better" on the expulsion of irregular migrants from the country, after criticism from the far-right over its immigration policy.
Also read: After Lola case, France must 'do better' on expulsions