France comes to standstill to pay tribute to Nice victims, PM booed
NICE: From Paris to Lille to Nice – thousands of people gathered at prominent public spaces on Monday to pay homage to the 84 victims of the Bastille Day truck terror attack here, less than a year after similar events were held across the country for the Paris attacks.
Prime Minister Manuel Valls faced some criticism and boos as he participated in an event of collective grief at the Monument du Centenaire near the Promenade des Anglias in the Riviera city of Nice. He was accompanied by health minister Marisol Touraise and noted footballer Hugo Lloris.
The nation fell silent as an emotional minute's silence was observed for the victims .
The atmosphere on Nice’s sunny promenade complemented by the blue sea continued to resemble sullen normalcy, with bouquets and messages being left at several locations. At some venues of grief, distraught individuals could be seen being consoled by friends and family.
Investigators found CCTV footage that showed the Tunisian attacker, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel, driving through the Promenade des Anglais last week on Tuesday and Wednesday, ostensibly to prepare for Thursday’s attack that has been claimed by the Islamic State.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy joined growing calls of criticism against the Francois Hollande government for failing to provide enough security.
Speaking on French television, Sarkozy said, "Democracy must not be weak, nor simply commemorate. Democracy must say 'We will win the war'.” He said he supported stronger measures like expulsion of radicalised Muslims, and electronic tagging for those at risk of radicalisation.
However, Valls has refused to consider extreme measures: "I see too in the escalation of the proposals, to climb the temptation to put into question the rule of law. The authority is for me an essential value, but to question the rule of law would undermine our values and would be the greatest renunciation."