French Policeman Displays courage: Whilst Anti Semitism in France reaches a New High

Submitted by bagelblogger on Sat, 2006-11-25 18:01. ::

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BB: I've lost a lot of respect for some French people lately....

But the heroism displayed by this French policeman reminds me, don't judge each apple by its barrel.

It's sad that a death resulted, but whether the innocent single soccer fan was black, white, Catholic, Muslim Jewish, whatever..the [black] Police officer appears to have seriously endangered his life saving a Jew from a Crowd of Far Right Soccer hooligans completely out of control.

Of course the downside is, not only the death of a person, but what is happening in France that this can happen?? Witnesses have stated there is little doubt the Jewish Fan was saved from a horrible death.

You must Watch this EuroNews Video, and the Paris Saint German fan towards the end.

[Click Read More...]

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[Reuters. UK]

By Thierry Leveque

PARIS, Nov 24 (Reuters) - French politicians urged soccer authorities to clean up their sport on Friday after a policeman killed one man and injured another while under attack from fans shouting racist comments.

Witnesses said the black policeman opened fire late Thursday on a mob of fans from the French first division side Paris Saint Germain who were chasing a Jewish supporter of the Israeli team Hapoel Tel Aviv.

"It seems like quite serious racist insults were used. 'Dirty nigger' and 'dirty Jew'," Paris Prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin told reporters.

Politicians of all colours denounced the violence and urged soccer authorities to rid their sport of racism.

"Soccer isn't about hatred, it can't be a war," said Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy. "It is unacceptable that a fan from one club was chased and called a filthy Jew."

The Hapoel supporter was being pursued by around 100 PSG fans when plainclothes policeman Antoine Granomort intervened, according to the police.

At first he let off a tear gas canister to try to disperse the assailants, but then himself came under attack, and was kicked to the ground by the mob, police said.

Witnesses said he shouted "police, police" before opening fire, killing 25-year-old Julien Quemener and injuring Mounir Bouchaer, 26.

"The most likely assumption is that the same bullet injured Bouchaer, passing through his lung, before hitting Quemener in the heart," Marin said.

Police said the PSG fans appeared to be far-right sympathisers and were chanting "France for the French" as they confronted the Hapoel supporter.

PSG has struggled for years to control a hard core group of hooligans, with far-right tendencies.

French President Jacques Chirac condemned the fans' behaviour. "Such violence is shocking. Racist remarks of whatever nature are shameful and outrageous and must be condemned," he told reporters during a visit to Italy.

Granomort himself was placed in custody while magistrates investigated his assertion that he had acted in self-defence.

"I am shattered by what happened," said French Professional Football League President Frederic Thiriez, who was due to meet Sarkozy later on Friday.

The violence came after PSG suffered a shock 4-2 loss to their Israeli opponents in a UEFA cup clash.

"This is the darkest period in the club's history," said PSG chairman Alain Cayzac. "It is a period I am not proud of."

France recently passed a law to tackle violent soccer fans and Sarkozy said additional measures would be introduced to parliament as soon as possible.

References:
Reuters: 3PSG fan shot dead

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