Thousands gather in Paris suburb in tribute to victims of shooting

Thousands gathered on Friday evening in a poor ​Paris suburb to pay tribute to ​the victims of a shooting, a week ‌earlier, ​in which the gunman deliberately targeted Muslim or African people. The attack in Trappes, a southwestern Paris suburb, last Friday, which left one dead and ‌seven wounded, has unleashed a bitter debate over racism in French politics and the media. The country has been grappling with a broad set of social grievances, months ahead of a presidential election.

Anti-terrorist prosecutors said on ‌Thursday the 39-year-old suspect, identified as Kevin T, acknowledged during questioning seeking victims of "Muslim, African or North ‌African type". His belongings included a copy of Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" and stickers mentioning far-right party National Rally — though he said he did not support any particular party. "It was very important for us to come together because there are people who hold ⁠harmful ​ideologies—like that individual. But there ⁠are far, far more people who hold good, healthy ideologies, and who believe that living together will overcome racism," said Imad, ⁠a Trappes resident and head of local NGO "Aider".

In an interview on YouTube on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron, whose ​second and last term is set to end in May, accused the National Rally (RN) of ⁠fostering an atmosphere of racism in France. Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh on Friday evening reiterated the accusations during the tribute.

"Open your eyes. The ⁠killer ​did not choose his victims at random," Rabeh said. "His hatred did not come from nowhere. It was inoculated into his mind," he added, accusing the National Rally. The far-right party, whose leader Marine Le ⁠Pen leads opinion polls ahead of the spring elections, rejected the link with the killer.

RN lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy ⁠told TF1: "It's Macron ⁠who has run France for the past nine years. It's on his watch that antisemitism, homophobia and hate have spread through France. He is to blame."