Fireworks, flares, and champagne... A segment of Parisians joyously welcomed the news of the death of far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen.
Thousands of people took to the streets. Demonstrators waved placards with messages such as "Finally," "The dirty racist is dead," and "It's a beautiful day."
Similar celebrations occurred in other cities across France, including Lyon and Marseille.
In central Lyon, during a rally organized by far-left activists, protesters set fire to trash bins and threw various objects at the police. Seven individuals were arrested.
The French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, condemned these actions: "Absolutely nothing justifies dancing on graves. The death of a person, even a political opponent, should evoke only restraint and dignity. These scenes of jubilation are shameful," the minister stated.
The founder of the National Front, Jean-Marie Le Pen, passed away on January 7 at the age of ninety-six. He had been repeatedly convicted for anti-Semitism, discrimination, and incitement to racial violence. Le Pen's funeral will take place on Saturday in his hometown in Brittany.