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Le Pen Deletes Tweet With Photo of Slain Journalist Marine Le Pen Deletes Tweet With Photo of Slain Journalist
(34 minutes later)
LONDON — Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front party in France, deleted a tweet on Thursday that contained a photo of the decapitated body of James Foley, the American journalist who was killed by the Islamic State last year, after criticism from his family.LONDON — Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front party in France, deleted a tweet on Thursday that contained a photo of the decapitated body of James Foley, the American journalist who was killed by the Islamic State last year, after criticism from his family.
Ms. Le Pen had posted the tweet in anger after a French journalist with a pugnacious reputation, Jean-Jacques Bourdin, likened the National Front to the Islamic State, asserting that both groups were working to stoke a xenophobic backlash in France.Ms. Le Pen had posted the tweet in anger after a French journalist with a pugnacious reputation, Jean-Jacques Bourdin, likened the National Front to the Islamic State, asserting that both groups were working to stoke a xenophobic backlash in France.
“Daesh is THAT!” Ms. Le Pen wrote on Twitter, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. The tweet included three photographs, including one of Mr. Foley’s body. “Daesh is THAT!” Ms. Le Pen wrote on Twitter, using an Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, which is also known as ISIS or ISIL. The tweet contained three photographs, including one of Mr. Foley’s body.
Mr. Foley, 40, was beheaded in September 2014 by a British fighter for the Islamic State, Mohammed Emwazi, commonly known as Jihadi John, who was reportedly killed last month in an American airstrike.Mr. Foley, 40, was beheaded in September 2014 by a British fighter for the Islamic State, Mohammed Emwazi, commonly known as Jihadi John, who was reportedly killed last month in an American airstrike.
“We are deeply disturbed by the unsolicited use of Jim for Le Pen’s political gain, and hope that the picture of our son, along with the two other graphic photographs, are taken down immediately,” Mr. Foley’s parents, John and Diane, said in a statement.“We are deeply disturbed by the unsolicited use of Jim for Le Pen’s political gain, and hope that the picture of our son, along with the two other graphic photographs, are taken down immediately,” Mr. Foley’s parents, John and Diane, said in a statement.
On Thursday, Ms. Le Pen noted that the photographs were widely available on Twitter, and she said that she had posted them to make a political point.On Thursday, Ms. Le Pen noted that the photographs were widely available on Twitter, and she said that she had posted them to make a political point.
“I did not know it was a photo of James Foley, and when I learned that his parents demanded that I take down this photo, I did, obviously,” Ms. Le Pen said on Thursday. “The goal was to make certain journalists and politicians realize the excessiveness, outrageousness, of comparing the National Front and Daesh.”“I did not know it was a photo of James Foley, and when I learned that his parents demanded that I take down this photo, I did, obviously,” Ms. Le Pen said on Thursday. “The goal was to make certain journalists and politicians realize the excessiveness, outrageousness, of comparing the National Front and Daesh.”
She added: “I do not regret the publication of these photos. I think it drew attention to the appalling outrage of comparing Daesh and the National Front.”She added: “I do not regret the publication of these photos. I think it drew attention to the appalling outrage of comparing Daesh and the National Front.”
Ms. Le Pen’s party has been gaining in popularity in France. The National Front made a strong showing in the first round of regional elections, on Dec. 6. However, it wound up with no seats after the second round, on Sunday, because a large number of voters turned out to support candidates from the two mainstream parties, the center-right Republicans and the left-leaning Socialists.Ms. Le Pen’s party has been gaining in popularity in France. The National Front made a strong showing in the first round of regional elections, on Dec. 6. However, it wound up with no seats after the second round, on Sunday, because a large number of voters turned out to support candidates from the two mainstream parties, the center-right Republicans and the left-leaning Socialists.
Ms. Le Pen has distanced herself from the racist and anti-Semitic views of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the party, but she has nonetheless attracted controversy for her criticism of France’s Muslim population, the largest in Western Europe.Ms. Le Pen has distanced herself from the racist and anti-Semitic views of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, who founded the party, but she has nonetheless attracted controversy for her criticism of France’s Muslim population, the largest in Western Europe.
On Tuesday, she was acquitted of charges of inciting hatred with remarks she made criticizing Muslim immigrants during the 2010 regional elections.On Tuesday, she was acquitted of charges of inciting hatred with remarks she made criticizing Muslim immigrants during the 2010 regional elections.