{"id":8771,"date":"2026-04-23T23:07:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T23:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/8771\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T23:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T23:07:20","slug":"pride-flags-removed-rainbow-crosswalks-painted-white-pride-marches-canceled-across-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/8771\/","title":{"rendered":"Pride flags removed, rainbow crosswalks painted white & Pride marches canceled across France"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two municipalities in France removed LGBTQ+ symbols this past week.<\/p>\n

In the south of France, near the border with Spain, the far-right Mayor Steve Fortel of Elne, a suburb of Perpignan, removed the rainbow flag from the town hall and had a rainbow crosswalk repainted white.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPublic spaces should remain neutral, and it\u2019s for that that I made this decision,\u201d Mayor Steve Fortel told France 3 Occitanie<\/a>. \u201cI will not discuss it further, and I take full responsibility for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

France held municipal elections in late March, which means many towns and cities previously governed by progressives are now being taken in a different direction. Elne\u2019s previous mayor, communist Nicolas Garcia, denounced the removal of the Pride symbols.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was a sign that Elne fought against all forms of discrimination,\u00a0all\u00a0forms of discrimination,\u201d the ex-mayor said, \u201cwhether it was about sexual orientation, religion, philosophy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd today I believe it\u2019s a strong symbol, what just happened,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis clearly shows hostility towards the community at a moment when our rights are in danger everywhere,\u201d Alexandra Puig, the co-president of the local LGBTQ+ organization LGBT +66, told Made in Perpignan<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s an attack on a symbol of unity and inclusion. \u2018Fraternity\u2019 is part of the national motto, and this move, for me, is anti-republican.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cAnti-republican\u201d generally refers to things that go against the principles of the French Republic, similar to Americans saying something is \u201cun-American\u201d when it\u2019s discriminatory.<\/p>\n

On the other side of the country, in a suburb of Lille near the border with Belgium, the new mayor of Faches-Thumesnil removed the rainbow flag from the town hall and canceled this weekend\u2019s scheduled Pride celebration. The new mayor, Brice Lauret, is a right-winger, and he just replaced former Mayor Patrick Proisy of \u201cLa France Insoumise,\u201d a left-wing party.<\/p>\n

Lauret said that the Pride event, previously scheduled for Saturday, April 25, is \u201ctemporarily canceled\u201d due to organizational issues. \u201cIt\u2019s complicated,\u201d he told BFM TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The flag, though, was removed on April 16 for \u201crespect of neutrality.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThese decisions only feed a national and international increase in violence against LGBTQIA+ people,\u201d the organization Collectif Lille Pride said in a statement. The group said they have planned a protest for April 25 at 3:30 p.m. at the same place where the original Pride march was supposed to take place.<\/p>\n

According to police statistics, there was a 5% increase in anti-LGBTQ+ offenses in France between 2023 and 2024, RFI reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPolitical personalities are multiplying anti-LGBTQI+ discourse, which encourages hateful acts and gives them legitimacy,\u201d\u00a0said Julia Torlet of the organization SOS Homophobie. \u201cThese discourses seep into society and become commonplace, which is dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

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