There is something fundamentally rotten at the heart of the European far-left. In Britain it manifests itself in institutional anti-Semitism, whereas in France the loathing is aimed at the police.
On Saturday, hours after Arnaud Beltrame lost his fight for life following his heroic gesture during the Islamist attack in Trebes, a gentleman called Stéphane Poussier tweeted his pleasure at the news of the police officer’s passing. Poussier isn’t just any old troll eaten up with hate; last year he stood as a candidate for the far-left’s La France Insoumise party in the parliamentary elections.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Insoumise, moved swiftly to distance himself and the party from Poussier’s remarks, condemning them unequivocally, but the damage has been done.
For many in France, Poussier’s remarks will reinforce their view that a minority of the far-Left detest their country so much they would take a perverse pleasure in seeing it overrun by Islamists.
Hatred of the police has a long history in France (a “French speciality”, according
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