The parliamentary office of Antoine Golliot, deputy for the 5th constituency of Pas-de-Calais and member of the National Rally (RN), was vandalized overnight, with its windows and doors defaced by red graffiti carrying hostile messages following the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the co-founder of the National Front (now National Rally).
The graffiti included inflammatory phrases such as “RIP Bozo,” “JMLP dead, let’s kill the RN,” “f*** the FN,” and “Ciao, Jean-Marie.”
Golliot shared photos of the damage on social media, condemning the act as an attack not only on his office but also on the memory of the deceased.
“Last night, my parliamentary tenure was once again degraded. These cowardly acts are unacceptable, especially since they attack the memory of a deceased person,” he wrote on X.
Cette nuit, ma permanence parlementaire a été une nouvelle fois dégradée. Ces actes lâches sont inacceptables, d’autant plus qu’ils s’attaquent à la mémoire d’un défunt.
Le débat démocratique doit rester respectueux. Je continuerai à œuvrer pour le Boulonnais avec détermination. pic.twitter.com/N7knlOnAqq
— Antoine Golliot (@antoine_golliot) January 8, 2025“Democratic debate must remain respectful. I will continue to work for Boulonnais with determination,” Golliot added.
The vandalism came just hours after the death of Jean-Marie Le Pen, a polarizing figure in French politics. Golliot had earlier paid tribute to Le Pen on Facebook, calling him an “extraordinary and visionary politician” whose perseverance brought “nationalist ideas” to the forefront of French politics. “It is thanks to him, his pugnacity in the fight for the French, and his perseverance over decades that nationalist ideas today embody hope for millions of French people,” Golliot wrote.
Le Pen’s death at the age of 96 sparked sharp divisions across France. In Paris, left-wing activists celebrated with fireworks and chants mocking the former leader. Similar gatherings took place in Lyon, where seven people were arrested, and in Paris, where three arrests occurred on the sidelines of rallies.
Feux d'artifice, fumigènes, champagne, confettis… scène de liesse sur la Place de la République à Paris après la mort de Jean-Marie Le Pen. pic.twitter.com/ceshRFqsxK
— Luc Auffret (@LucAuffret) January 7, 2025The French government responded to the incidents with calls for respect and restraint. Government spokesperson Sophie Primas addressed the rallies celebrating Le Pen’s death during a Council of Ministers briefing, emphasizing the importance of dignity, even in the case of divisive figures.
“Death, even of an enemy, deserves respect,” Primas said. While she claimed that Le Pen’s actions and positions were often “completely unacceptable,” or simply at odds with her own political ideology, she maintained that no one should celebrate a person’s death in such a manner.
Primas referred to Le Pen’s own call for respect upon the death of former French President Jacques Chirac as a model for appropriate conduct.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, founder of France’s National Rally party, has passed away at aged 96.
Over his decades-long career, the former paratrooper fought for France as a patriot.
Here are some of the quotes that defined his political beliefs. pic.twitter.com/39yot8SK0E
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) January 7, 2025
