The tomb of Jean-Marie Le Pen, an emblematic and controversial figure of the French extreme right, was vandalized on the night of Thursday January 30 to Friday January 31, according to information reported by “here Brittany”.
Gilles Pennelle, MEP and close to the Le Pen family, described the damage as a “significant degradation”. Philippe Olivier, also MEP of the National Rally (RN) and son-in-law of Jean-Marie Le Pen, confirmed to Franceinfo that the grave had been desecrated. A resident of the Trinity-sur-Mer (Morbihan) also pointed out the facts, which were then validated by the gendarmes authorities.
The gray marble plate, decorated with the birth and death dates of Jean-Marie Le Pen as well as his first name, was damaged. However, precise details concerning the nature of the degradations remain vague at this stage of the investigation. The motivations behind this act of vandalism are not yet known, but this incident comes in a tense political context, just a few weeks after the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, which occurred on January 7 at the age of 96.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of the National Front (which has become a national rally), marked French political history by its radical positions and its multiple controversies. His death had given rise to a funeral tribute on January 11, bringing about 200 people in the Saint-Joseph church. Among the relatives present were his daughter Marine Le Pen, the central figure of the RN, his sister Marie-Caroline, as well as her granddaughter Marion Maréchal, herself engaged in politics. Jordan Bardella, president of the RN, was also present, although he remained behind the cameras, according to several testimonies.
This act of vandalism raises questions about persistent polarization around the figure of Jean-Marie Le Pen, even after his death. While some see it as a symbolic gesture against its political heritage, others firmly condemn this desecration, recalling the respect due to the deceased, whatever their history. Local authorities and the police have opened an investigation to identify those responsible for this act.
