French Jews are living in fear

The Paralympics begin in Paris tomorrow but the feel-good factor generated in France by the Olympic Games at the start of the month has long since evaporated.

Anne Hidalgo, the Socialist mayor of Paris, was perhaps a little premature in declaring on August 7 that the success of the Games had ‘crushed the far-right’s message’.

That message, according to Hidalgo, is one of negativity and division, challenging the prevailing progressive view of France as a country of happy multiculturalism.

By far-right she meant the ten million plus people who had voted for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in July’s parliamentary elections. ‘Something incredibly positive is happening, and even good news, I think, for humanity,’ added Hidalgo.

Within days of Hidalgo’s remarks, two members of the French Olympic squad were suspended. One, sprinter Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, was accused of posting inflammatory statements described as ‘anti-white, anti-France and anti-Semitic’. (Kounta suggested his comments had been taken out of context and said, ‘I sincerely apologise if anyone felt offended.