Photo call: French and EU citizens to Celebrate Far Right defeat in Front of Eiffel Tower

*** Holocaust survivor, member of the French resistance, Muslims, children, etc. will gather Monday with one simple message: “France tells hate: Never again!” ***

In response to the loss of Marine Le Pen and her far right movement, French citizens will be celebrating at Place Trocadero tomorrow morning just before the WWII commemoration.

WHERE: Parvis des droits de l’Homme, place du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris

WHEN: Monday, May 8th, 2017, 09am

IMAGE OPPORTUNITY: French and EU citizens standing arm in arm with flags, placards, hats and a giant banner reading, “France tells hate: Never again!” They will be joined by Elie Busyn, a 88 year old holocaust survivor, and René Marbot, a 95 years old member of French resistance during World War II. Both will be available for interviews.

Musicians - accordionist & clarinettist - will be playing music, while a French Marianne will be dancing. At one point a torch will be passed on from a Dutch to a French and finally a German person -- with Marine Le Pen waving a white flag of defeat on the sidelines.

French, English, German and Spanish spokespeople will be available for interviews.

The victory of Emmanuel Macron constitutes the third big loss of the European far-right after the presidential election in Austria and the parliamentary election in the Netherlands. Avaaz members have been active in all three countries, reaching out to fellow citizens to ensure they vote for unity, not division. In France hundreds of Avaaz members members participated in calling abstainers, took to the streets to show the close connection between Marine Le Pen and her father, released a viral video that reached 2.4 million views in days, and put up thousands of guerrilla posters all over Paris.

Contact on the ground (French / English): Julie Deruy +336 76 47 72 59 / julie@avaaz.org

Contact on the ground (German / English): Rene Engel, +49 151 6512 8526 / rene@avaaz.org