Diversity Macht Frei
August 10, 2016
One of Europe’s oldest and biggest street markets, in the northern French city of Lille, has been cancelled over security fears, mayor Martine Aubry said Friday.
The annual market, which dates back to the twelfth century, is a huge tourism draw and attracted 2.5 million visitors to the city in 2015. Aubry said that the decision to cancel the event – known as the ‘La Braderie de Lille’ – was prompted by “risks we cannot address”.
The Socialist mayor of Lille said, “It’s heart wrenching to make this decision.”
“But to have sharpshooters on roofs at the market, riot police on each street corner and helicopters and drones flying overhead would not be in the spirit of the market,” explained Aubrey, who sought to run for president of France in 2012.
Aubry was formerly the leader of the French Socialist party and was current president Hollande’s main rival for the Socialist nomination. She wrote a book called “To change civilisation”. Well, this is what a change of civilisation looks like. Do you still like it, dear?