Macron warns of ‘old demons’
Cold rain and grey skies mirrored the sombre mood of world leaders commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I in Paris, in a reminder of the atrocious conditions endured by troops.
In a show of unity, more than 60 presidents, prime ministers and dignitaries, many of them holding black umbrellas, walked the last few metres to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe, after arriving in a fleet of buses.
Emmanuel Macron, the French President, said the grim weather was fitting for an occasion that marked the end of four years of horrific bloodshed.
Donald Trump, the US President, who was criticised the previous day for cancelling a scheduled visit to a US military cemetery because of rain, arrived after the others in his armourplated limousine, the “Beast”, because of security concerns.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, also arrived separately a few minutes later.
Macron delivered a politicallycharged speech warning of the dangers of rising nationalism and praising the European Union and the United Nations for their contribution to peace. Afterwards he said he was delighted that so many world leaders had attended, but questioned whether the occasion would be remembered as “a symbol of lasting peace or the last moment of unity before world falls into disorder. That depends on us”.
Warning the assembled leaders that re-emerging “old demons” were to threaten peace, he said: “Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism.”
Trump, who has proudly declared himself a nationalist, sat stony-faced, but smiled broadly as he exchanged a handshake with Putin, who flashed him a thumbs-up sign. The US President’s cordiality towards his Russian counterpart — despite alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US election — has
alarmed Western European leaders who see Russia as a growing threat.
Feminist activists from the Femen group broke through the security cordon and staged a brief topless protest near Trump’s car before being dragged away by police.
Before Macron spoke, teenagers read out letters written by World War I soldiers on the day the bloodshed ceased. One of them, from British officer Charles Neville of the Royal Horse Artillery, described streets “packed with wildly cheering civilians, chucking flowers at us and carrying on only like a foreigner can”.
Merkel, at a peace forum, denounced the “national vaingloriousness and military arrogance” that led to the “senseless bloodshed” of two world wars.
Trump visited a US military cemetery in Suresnes, western Paris, before flying home.
In London, the Queen and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attended a service at Westminster Abbey. Steinmeier, Princes Charles, William and Harry laid wreaths at the foot of the Cenotaph monument.
An armistice tribute took place on beaches around the British Isles. Pages of the Sea, a public art project curated by Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle for the World War I centenary, saw dozens of vast “sand portraits” of casualties from the conflict etched into the British coastline.
At 32 beaches — from St Ninian’s on Shetland to Porthcurno in Cornwall — volunteers created images of individuals connected to each local area. Second Lieutenant Walter Tull, the first black officer to command white troops, was remembered by locals in Ayr. Dr Elsie Inglis, an avowed suffragist and founder of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals, appeared on the West Sands at St Andrews, Fife.
In Redcar, North Yorkshire, Private Theophilus Jones had his moment. He is believed to have been the first military casualty on British soil from enemy fire.
The portraits were drawn at low tide by teams of seven artists using garden tools. When they were completed hours later, crowds had moments to study the haunting faces before the seas claimed the fallen once more.