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| Notre-Dame de Paris suicide a political act - Marine Le Pen | Notre-Dame de Paris suicide a political act - Marine Le Pen |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| France's far-right party leader Marine Le Pen has paid tribute to the man who killed himself in the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, saying it was a "political act". | |
| Ms Le Pen, who heads the National Front, said it was aimed at "waking up the people of France". | Ms Le Pen, who heads the National Front, said it was aimed at "waking up the people of France". |
| The man was named as Dominique Venner, an award-winning far-right historian. | The man was named as Dominique Venner, an award-winning far-right historian. |
| In his blog written shortly before his suicide on Tuesday, he criticised a new law legalising gay marriage. | In his blog written shortly before his suicide on Tuesday, he criticised a new law legalising gay marriage. |
| Mass evacuation | Mass evacuation |
| "All respect to Dominique Venner whose final, eminently political act was to try to wake up the people of France," Ms Le Pen wrote on Twitter. | "All respect to Dominique Venner whose final, eminently political act was to try to wake up the people of France," Ms Le Pen wrote on Twitter. |
| She later added that "it is in life and hope that France will renew and save itself". | She later added that "it is in life and hope that France will renew and save itself". |
| Bruno Gollnisch, another National Front member, said that Mr Venner's "dramatic act was a protest against the decay of our society", according to the AFP news agency. | Bruno Gollnisch, another National Front member, said that Mr Venner's "dramatic act was a protest against the decay of our society", according to the AFP news agency. |
| Mr Venner, 78, pulled out a shotgun and shot himself through the mouth beside the main altar shortly after 16:00 (14:00 GMT) on Tuesday - in front of some 1,500 visitors at the cathedral. | Mr Venner, 78, pulled out a shotgun and shot himself through the mouth beside the main altar shortly after 16:00 (14:00 GMT) on Tuesday - in front of some 1,500 visitors at the cathedral. |
| The police said he had made no statement before killing himself, although a note was found next to his body. They did not disclose its contents. | The police said he had made no statement before killing himself, although a note was found next to his body. They did not disclose its contents. |
| Just hours earlier, Mr Venner wrote on his blog a damning critique of the same-sex marriage bill. | Just hours earlier, Mr Venner wrote on his blog a damning critique of the same-sex marriage bill. |
| "New spectacular and symbolic actions are needed to wake up the sleepwalkers and shake the anaesthetised consciousness. | "New spectacular and symbolic actions are needed to wake up the sleepwalkers and shake the anaesthetised consciousness. |
| "We are entering a time when acts must follow words." | "We are entering a time when acts must follow words." |
| Mr Venner was also a former member of the Secret Army Organisation (OAS), which opposed Algerian independence in the early 1960s and tried to assassinate President Charles De Gaulle. | Mr Venner was also a former member of the Secret Army Organisation (OAS), which opposed Algerian independence in the early 1960s and tried to assassinate President Charles De Gaulle. |
| The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says Notre-Dame is the most visited landmark in France, attracting more than 13 million visitors each year, but security is relatively relaxed. | The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says Notre-Dame is the most visited landmark in France, attracting more than 13 million visitors each year, but security is relatively relaxed. |
| It would not be difficult to conceal a weapon in a shoulder bag, he says. | It would not be difficult to conceal a weapon in a shoulder bag, he says. |
| The cathedral is celebrating its 850th year. | The cathedral is celebrating its 850th year. |
| "It's unfortunate, it's dramatic, it's shocking," the rector of Notre-Dame, Monsignor Patrick Jacquin, told the Associated Press news agency. | "It's unfortunate, it's dramatic, it's shocking," the rector of Notre-Dame, Monsignor Patrick Jacquin, told the Associated Press news agency. |
| This was the first suicide in decades at the cathedral, he said. A few people had jumped to their deaths from Notre-Dame's twin towers, but no-one was thought to have killed themselves at the altar before, he added. | This was the first suicide in decades at the cathedral, he said. A few people had jumped to their deaths from Notre-Dame's twin towers, but no-one was thought to have killed themselves at the altar before, he added. |
| "We will pray for this man, as for so many others at their end." | "We will pray for this man, as for so many others at their end." |