Two months, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Algerian protesters, C215 had painted the stencil on a garage wall a portrait of one of the victims, Ahmad Khalfi.
Le Monde with AFP
A work of Street Art of the French Pochoiste C215, in tribute to the Algerian victims of the massacre of October 17, 1961, was degraded to Ivry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne) of “manifestly racist”, denounced Saturday, December 25 the artist.
Two months, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Algerian protesters under the authority of the Paris police prefect of the Maurice Papon, C215, of his true name Christian Guemy, had painted at the Stencil on a garage wall of Ivry A portrait of one of the victims of this repression, Ahmad Khalfi, with the inscription “thrown into the Seine on 17/10/1961”.
Spot spokes red
As shown by a photo published Saturday by the artist on social networks, this registration has been erased with the chisel and the portrait has been sprayed with red blood spots. A penis was also engraved on the work.
Whoever added blood tasks and burned the wall to erase the inscription “thrown into the Seine on 17 10 1961 … https://t.co/ybazozyrkg
“It’s very violent for all the Maghreb and people who can really identify with him [Ahmad Khalfi]. It’s not a political character, it’s just a victim of a massacre that has been committed in ordinary circumstances. And there, we perpetuate all that, “regretted C215. “It’s very sad. It’s an offense thrown into the face not only from the victim but also people from the present,” he added.
“I realized it today but do not know when it was done. It’s in a small street, there is not a lot of passage,” he explained. “I tried to make his portrait the most alive and the most human possible. It is painted at a man, in a neighborhood where there is a lot of more diversity.” “At a time when we talk about diversifying The memorial representation in the public space, we did not get out of the hostel … “,” he lamented.
The portrait of the policeman Ahmed Merabet degraded in November
In November, another portrait of the C215 stencil, that of the police officer Ahmed Merabet, coldly murdered by one of the Kouachi brothers in January 2015, was degraded to Paris. The police prefect had filed a complaint after the racist insult “Bicot” was found on this portrait.
For the first time this year, the French Presidency acknowledged that “several tens” of Algerian protesters “were killed, their bodies thrown into the Seine” On October 17, 1961. The official balance sheet did not count until now than three Victims.
“We condemn the degradation of which was the object C215, whose work is known and recognized in the Paris region and by the Ivryens,” reacted the town hall of Ivry.