Société
Aya Nakamura has responded to the identitarian collective Les Natifs. The group displayed a banner on which was written: “There is no way Aya, this is Paris, not the market of Bamako.”
Published on March 11, 2024 at 8:46
Aya Nakamura © Laurent VU/SIPA
Aya Nakamura responds and cries racism. The singer denounced the banner deployed on Saturday, March 9 by the identitarian collective Les Natifs. The nationalist group indeed addressed a message to the Franco-Malian artist: “There’s no way Aya, this is Paris, not the market of Bamako.” On the evening of Sunday, March 10, Aya Nakamura did not hesitate to respond on social media X: “You can be racist but not deaf. That’s what hurts you! I become a number one state subject etc. But what do I owe you, really? Nothing.”
A controversy arose since L’Express revealed, in late February, that Emmanuel Macron would have asked Aya Nakamura to “lead” the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The artist would then not have ruled out performing songs by Edith Piaf at the event. This sparked numerous criticisms. “What will be the next step? A cover of the Chant des partisans by Magic System?” denounced the collective Les Natifs, accusing Emmanuel Macron of wanting to “replace French elegance with vulgarity, Africanize our popular songs, and exclude the native people in favour of extra-European immigration.” The group indicated that about fifteen of its members demonstrated on Saturday in the IVth arrondissement of the capital.
“Racist delinquents”
After the statements of the collective Les Natifs, Aya Nakamura also received support from political figures, such as the Minister of Sports, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. “No matter how we love you, dear Aya Nakamura, don’t care about the whole world. With you,” wrote the minister on X. The deputy of La France insoumise (LFI), Antoine Léaument, on his side, was more annoyed by the situation. He judged that the nationalist militants, whom he qualifies as “racist delinquents,” were “well hidden behind their banner.” “They claim to love their country but they want to exclude the most listened-to French-speaking singer in the world since Edith Piaf. You cannot be racist and patriotic in France,” he finally denounced.
