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As horror strikes again, all eyes are on how France reacts As horror strikes again, all eyes are on how France reacts
(35 minutes later)
A night of national celebrations ended in ­horror and tears. France is yet again in shock. Yet again in mourning. Bodies strewn in the road, families frantically searching for loved ones, crowds running wildly in the dark, a city in lockdown. In the immediate aftermath, political extremes actively trying to capitalise on the blind violence. A night of national celebrations ends in ­horror and tears. France is yet again in shock. Yet again in mourning. Bodies strewn in the road, families frantically searching for loved ones, crowds running wildly in the dark, a city in lockdown. In the immediate aftermath, political extremes actively trying to capitalise on the blind violence.
After Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan, now it is Nice’s waterfront. The attack happened on Bastille Day, as the anniversary of the French Revolution was being celebrated. That symbolism only added to the gut-wrenching pain of seeing photographs of some of the 84 dead and more than 200 wounded, including children.After Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan, now it is Nice’s waterfront. The attack happened on Bastille Day, as the anniversary of the French Revolution was being celebrated. That symbolism only added to the gut-wrenching pain of seeing photographs of some of the 84 dead and more than 200 wounded, including children.
The attack happened hours after France’s annual military parade on the Champs Élysées, attended by the president, François Hollande, an event meant to demonstrate patriotic strength and unity. And it struck days after the Euro 2016 football tournament had finished without the dreaded news of another assault. There had barely been time to heave a sigh of relief. Now we have been plunged into yet more trauma.The attack happened hours after France’s annual military parade on the Champs Élysées, attended by the president, François Hollande, an event meant to demonstrate patriotic strength and unity. And it struck days after the Euro 2016 football tournament had finished without the dreaded news of another assault. There had barely been time to heave a sigh of relief. Now we have been plunged into yet more trauma.
France feels devastated. The country is reeling from its third major terrorist attack in less than 18 months. Since 2015 the death toll has reached 231 – and could still rise – to which should be added the seven people killed by Mohammed Merah in 2012, in ­Montauban and Toulouse.France feels devastated. The country is reeling from its third major terrorist attack in less than 18 months. Since 2015 the death toll has reached 231 – and could still rise – to which should be added the seven people killed by Mohammed Merah in 2012, in ­Montauban and Toulouse.
How and why this could have been prevented will be much debated. Just days ago a French parliamentary investigation into the Paris attacks of November 2015 had concluded there had been a “global failure” of the country’s security and intelligence services. Yet, in a reflection of France’s patchy record of public accountability, no one in government seems to be considering resigning.How and why this could have been prevented will be much debated. Just days ago a French parliamentary investigation into the Paris attacks of November 2015 had concluded there had been a “global failure” of the country’s security and intelligence services. Yet, in a reflection of France’s patchy record of public accountability, no one in government seems to be considering resigning.
Details about the assailant and his motives are still sketchy – a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian who worked and lived in Nice. But already Hollande has announced more airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Islamic State, as well as the calling up of reservists and a three-month extension of France’s state of emergency – none of which is likely to address the roots of the problem. Details about the assailant, a 31-year-old Franco-Tunisian who worked and lived in Nice, and his motives are still sketchy. But already Hollande has announced more airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Islamic State, as well as the calling up of reservists and a three-month extension of France’s state of emergency – none of which is likely to address the roots of the problem.
Terrorism has upended politics in France since 2015, and now that is about to get worse. It has put the nation on a war footing, heightened religious and ethnic tensions and fed growing partisan polarisation, which the National Front is set to benefit from during next year’s presidential election campaign.Terrorism has upended politics in France since 2015, and now that is about to get worse. It has put the nation on a war footing, heightened religious and ethnic tensions and fed growing partisan polarisation, which the National Front is set to benefit from during next year’s presidential election campaign.
The fallout will be felt across Europe too, bringing a sinister boost to xenophobic narratives conflating immigrants and refugees with the threat of bombs and automatic rifles. Now, even without any link to Isis yet evident, jihadi terrorism has taken a new face: the wild rampage of a truck on a touristy, festive Mediterranean shoreline. The fallout will be felt across Europe too, bringing a sinister boost to xenophobic narratives conflating immigrants and refugees with the threat of bombs and automatic rifles. Now, even without any link to Isis yet evident, jihadi terrorism has taken on a new face: the wild rampage of a truck on a touristy, festive Mediterranean shoreline.
Nice is a cosmopolitan city, a huge social and ethnic mixture, a place where you find former “pieds noirs” – French colonials from Algeria – middle-class pensioners from across France, ­communities of Muslim immigrants, rich Russians and tourists from all over the world. With past visitors from Chekhov to F Scott Fitzgerald, the city’s palaces and palm tree-lined squares have long been celebrated as part of France’s proud cultural heritage. A terror strike here is a strike not just at the diverse fabric of a society but at a vivid tourist industry and at an entire country’s sense of itself. Nice is a cosmopolitan city, a huge social and ethnic mixture, a place where you find former “pieds noirs” – French colonials from Algeria, middle-class pensioners from across France, communities of Muslim immigrants, rich Russians and tourists from all over the world. With past visitors from Chekhov to F Scott Fitzgerald, the city’s palaces and palm tree-lined squares have long been celebrated as part of France’s proud cultural heritage. A terror strike here is an attack not just at the diverse fabric of a society but at a vivid tourist industry and at an entire country’s sense of itself.
There are two ways this can play out politically in France, and they may well be combined. If it turns out the attacker had connections with homegrown terrorist groups the country will be again confronted with burning questions about its difficulties in integrating second and third-generation immigrants who feel alienated – not least because of France’s brand of secularism and its economy, where youth unemployment and discrimination are rife. But if the focus is on his Tunisian heritage, then there will be further examination of foreign fighter networks.There are two ways this can play out politically in France, and they may well be combined. If it turns out the attacker had connections with homegrown terrorist groups the country will be again confronted with burning questions about its difficulties in integrating second and third-generation immigrants who feel alienated – not least because of France’s brand of secularism and its economy, where youth unemployment and discrimination are rife. But if the focus is on his Tunisian heritage, then there will be further examination of foreign fighter networks.
France’s plight points to how Europe has been unable to exert any influence on the Syrian civil war, where it has been sidelined from diplomacy while Russia and the US pursue an ambiguous rapprochement. This could strengthen Syria’s dictator, whose scorched-earth policies of repression have provided a prime breeding ground for Isis.France’s plight points to how Europe has been unable to exert any influence on the Syrian civil war, where it has been sidelined from diplomacy while Russia and the US pursue an ambiguous rapprochement. This could strengthen Syria’s dictator, whose scorched-earth policies of repression have provided a prime breeding ground for Isis.
After Nice, expect France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, to be on a roll. Her statements after the attack made that clear. With nine months to the presidential vote, French identity and security will be at the centre of all public discourse, and she will stand to gain.After Nice, expect France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, to be on a roll. Her statements after the attack made that clear. With nine months to the presidential vote, French identity and security will be at the centre of all public discourse, and she will stand to gain.
Beyond the terrible loss of families for ever torn apart and traumatised just because they wanted to watch fireworks on a warm summer evening, the wider result of this tragedy is that extremes, political and religious, will continue to feed off each other. Voices of reason and ­moderation will be drowned out – “the bloody wedding of repression and terrorism”, as Albert Camus once called it.Beyond the terrible loss of families for ever torn apart and traumatised just because they wanted to watch fireworks on a warm summer evening, the wider result of this tragedy is that extremes, political and religious, will continue to feed off each other. Voices of reason and ­moderation will be drowned out – “the bloody wedding of repression and terrorism”, as Albert Camus once called it.