Sunday marked 60 years since the bloody massacre of Algerian protesters.
They were not butchered in Algeria, but in Paris, France. And in the 20th century, too. Yes, Paris at its primitive worst.
The Goths, Vandals and Saxons eons earlier would have been proud of the Parisian police, whose hands were the final cause of the French savagery. Speaking at the commemoration of the massacre on Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron blamed the killings of the Algerian protesters on Paris police chief Maurice Papon as if he was the first and final cause.
The first cause must be located way higher. France knows this, but finds it shameful to admit it. The truth is, France cannot bear very much reality. The Algerians saw it then and they see it today.
For decades, France refused to own up. And when it did, it said only three Algerians were killed, writes Paris-born Algerian Melissa Chemam in an op-ed in Al Jazeera.
Decades later on Saturday, Macron said "several dozen" protesters were killed and their bodies thrown in the River Seine when others say more than 100 were massacred. Yet others say many were beaten, killed or thrown into the river where they drowned.
France 24, a news channel, is one. This didn't just happen on the night of Oct 17, 1961, but over a few days. Little wonder the news channel describes the few days of October as "one of the darkest days in France's history".
It was worse, according to British historians Jim House and Neil MacMaster, who are quoted by Chemam as saying the massacre was the "most violent contemporary state repression ever applied to a street protest in Western Europe".
Three, several dozens or more than 100? All three cannot be right. Only one must be. History is not a way of seeing.
More importantly, Macron had no apology to offer to the loved ones of the massacred victims. France must do better. A nation that waves the flag of human rights on the world stage cannot behave like this. Of late France — yes, we mean the nation, not just Macron — has been on a mission to dictate to its people what clothes to wear, how to live and what religion to profess.
Macron even wants to custom make a French version of Islam for the Muslims there. Islam is a revealed religion and it cannot be fashioned thus. The impudence of it all.
Let's be brutal. A president is no prophet. And in case Macron isn't aware, Islam had its last prophet more than 1,400 years ago. And he was an Arab.
The disease isn't Macron's alone. It afflicts a good section of French politicians and people. The far-right Marine Le Pen and her 93-year-old father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, have been inciting hatred against Jews, Muslims, black people and immigrants for the longest time.
More recently, far-right anti-immigrant Eric Zemmour has gone on record as wanting to ban Islam in France. And a Christian name or two such as Kevin and Jordan. The names are popular among African-Americans. Politicians like Zemmour think Christianity is a French religion. How little they know their faith. Try the Middle East, Zemmour. Such politicians bring shame to France.
Whatever happened to France's tripartite motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity? Welcome to the real France, a toxic nation where othering is a national pastime.