*In a shocking act of vandalism, the memorial tree honoring Ilan Halimi was cut down, provoking a strong response from President Macron and French authorities who pledge to pursue justice.*
**Macron Vows Justice After Olive Tree Memorial for Murdered Jew Is Destroyed**
**Macron Vows Justice After Olive Tree Memorial for Murdered Jew Is Destroyed**
*French officials condemn the destruction of a memorial tree for Ilan Halimi, emphasizing a commitment to combat antisemitism.*
French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed his outrage following the recent destruction of a memorial tree dedicated to Ilan Halimi, a Jewish man who was tragically murdered in 2006. The olive tree, which stood for 14 years to commemorate Halimi’s violent death at the hands of a Paris gang, was found severed from its base in Épinay-sur-Seine. In response, Macron described the act as an "attempt to kill him a second time," and assured that all resources would be mobilized to locate and punish the perpetrators.
Laurent Nuñez, the police chief of Paris, has launched an investigation into the incident, emphasizing that the authorities would do everything possible to ensure justice is served. Ilan Halimi's horrific fate gripped France when his burned and handcuffed body was discovered along a railway after a three-week ordeal where he was held hostage by the brutal Barbarian gang. Gang leader Youssouf Fofana specifically targeted Halimi due to his Jewish identity, believing that his family possessed considerable wealth, and attempted to extort a ransom.
The local government confirmed that the memorial tree was found chopped down and discarded in a flowerbed the day after it was vandalized. Macron reassured the public that France remembers Halimi, stating, "We will not forget this child of France who died because he was Jewish." His remarks emphasized France's unwavering stance against antisemitism, labeling it an enduring threat that the Republic must confront unyieldingly.
Prime Minister François Bayrou also condemned the destruction, attributing it to "antisemitic hatred," and asserted, "No crime can uproot memory. The never-ending fight against the deadly poison of hatred is our primary duty." This incident marked yet another chapter in the ongoing struggle against antisemitism in France, following previous acts of vandalism targeting memorials for Halimi. In 2019, another tree commemorating him was similarly cut down, and in 2017, disturbing graffiti was found on a plaque dedicated to him.
