Macron, greeted by whistles in the French national holiday parade

France He celebrated his national holiday this Friday, still recovering from the hangover caused by the riots at the end of June after the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old boy, by police gunfire at a traffic control in Nanterre. As tradition dictates, a military parade was held along the Champs-Élysées avenue, between the Place de la Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe. The images of the ceremony, impeccably coordinated, contrasted with the scenes of violence and chaos of the previous days.

The French head of state toured the avenue in an open military vehicle and inspected the troops before the military parade, accompanied by General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of the Army General Staff. During the tour, the president received applause, although some spectators booed him. “Macron, resign”he heard himself scream.

The parade featured a guest of honor: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor by the Champs-Élysées, the highest award a French president can bestow. Both countries are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their strategic partnership, which Paris wants to strengthen to influence the Asia-Pacific region. Coinciding with his trip, Modi confirmed the purchase from France of 26 Rafael-class fighter jets and three Scorpène submarines.

Macron’s call to the ultra-nationalist Modi was criticized by the left and various NGOs for his populist and Hindu nationalist government, as well as violence against the Muslim minority. “The July 14 mistake: rolling out the red carpet for India’s extreme right,” Marine Tondelier, national secretary of Europe Ecology-The Greens (EE-LV), told the daily Liberation.

6,500 participants, 157 vehicles, 62 motorcycles, 200 horses of the Republican Guard, and 68 airplanes and 28 helicopters took part in the parade, which lasted for about two and a half hours. About 240 members of the Indian armed forces also marched.

The military parade was ceremoniously opened by French patrol planes that drew the flag in the sky of Paris, and it was closed by the Foreign Legion. During the act they interpreted Marseillesnational anthem and Partisan song.

This year, France avoided celebrating July 14, fearing further unrest two weeks after Nahel’s death. Some 130,000 police officers were mobilized try to maintain order. According to authorities, the early mornings of July 13 and 14 were “relatively quiet.” The balance was 218 burning vehicles, 97 arrests and three injured agents. Several cities, such as Nanterre, suspended fireworks for fear of a resurgence of urban violence. This did not happen in the capital, where Parisians and tourists enjoyed the magnificent fireworks display from the Eiffel Tower.