A mural painted in Avignon and representing Emmanuel Macron as Adolf Hitler, the number "49.3" inscribed as a mustache, will be erased "as soon as possible", said Monday the agglomeration of Grand Avignon, owner of the building where this painting was realized.
"At the request of Joël Guin, president of the Greater Avignon urban community, and Violaine Démaret, prefect of Vaucluse, the services of Greater Avignon are mobilized to have the new fresco by the artist Lekto removed as soon as possible", specified the agglomeration community in a press release.
"Following the reactions and the growing controversy aroused by the new fresco located in the parking lot of the Italians in Avignon, the prefect of Vaucluse agreed with the president of Grand Avignon, owner of the premises, of its erasure", abounded the prefecture.
This mural, made on an electrical transformer at the northeast entrance to Avignon, along a departmental road, depicts the head of state in a suit, graying hair and the numbers "49.3" (Editor's note: in reference to the article of the constitution used to pass the pension reform in the National Assembly) acting as a mustache.
The message "No thank you" frames this portrait of Emmanuel Macron in large letters, while at the bottom left of the fresco, in a smaller size, is the mention: "if ever... satyrical painting".
This street-art work is signed by the graffiti artist Lekto, whose previous mural painted in the same place at the end of June had already been erased, at the request of the Vaucluse prefecture.
The economist Jacques Attali was represented there as a puppeteer manipulating an Emmanuel Macron-Pinocchio, which had aroused strong reactions on social networks where the anti-Semitic character of the fresco had been denounced.
According to La Provence, Lekto's trial before the Avignon Criminal Court for "public insult due to origin, ethnicity, nation, race or religion, but also public provocation to discrimination" will take place on September 14.
Contacted by AFP, the Avignon prosecutor's office was unable on Monday evening to confirm or deny the opening of legal proceedings concerning the fresco representing Emmanuel Macron as Adolf Hitler.
03/04/2023 20:25:30 - Marseille (AFP) © 2023 AFP
