The African delegation threw roses into the River Seine in memory of the violent incident of 17 October 1961 in which hundreds of Algerians died in the French capital.
The story of France is closely linked to episodes of conquests and colonies. One of the countries that is still marked by its Gallic past is Algeriawhose inhabitants occupy a significant portion of the population of the European territory. The massacre of Parisa violent episode that ended with hundreds of deaths, was remembered this Friday by the African delegation during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games which could lead to political conflict.
The members of the Algerian team, as seen in images on social media that were not broadcast on official TV, threw red roses into the River Seine, where all the participating nations in Paris 2016 paraded on boats. The act symbolized the memory of the aforementioned episode.
What was the 1961 Paris massacre?
The Paris massacre took place on October 17, 1961Hundreds of Algerians were killed by French security forces after a demonstration in the framework of the Algerian War of Independence.
Although the Algerian population of Paris was repressed for several months, that day saw the deaths of hundreds of people, with some authors estimating that the number was more than 300. The brutal repression led to thousands of arrests at the Palais des Sports and the Pierre de Coubertin Stadium. Although many died from beatings or direct violence, many others were thrown into the River Seine. Hence the action of the Algerian delegation.
Source: Ambito
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