Paris Bloody Friday

Detail and whole drawing made by me using a black Bic pen yesterday, and coloured also by me today, on the sad 11th anniversary of Paris Bloody Friday.

Two days after the massacre, on Monday, I came back to school (I worked in another lycée, outside the Région parisienne) some students asked me: "Madame, vous avez peur ?" and I just responded: "Non. Je suis très triste et en colère".

These are the same sentiments expressed by Morrissey in Bonfire of Teenagers, the unreleased song from the unreleased album of the same title and I agree with him about the clueless mourning show with candles and songs. After the attacks in January and November 2015 perpetrated by Islamist terrorists, I did not join the mourners who covered the monument to the République with candles, flowers and placards because, even if they were genuinely sad, they were the useful idiots of a government which needed to distract the public opinion from his défaillances and to prevent the people from manifesting during the COP21 in December. Maybe the word "morons" in Morrissey's lyrics is a bit too harsh towards the Mancunian naif mourners singing the famous Oasis' song which has nothing to do with terrorism, death and sorrow, but it fits perfectly to the Parisians who took their kids to the entrance of Bataclan and the restaurants terrasses and put flowers and candles on the ground, still covered in the victims' blood - and, of course, this word fits to the cynical politicians, both in France and in the UK, who were and are still unable to distinguish muslims from islamists and avoid talking about "Islamism", as if this word offended all muslims. Every religion has his dangerous fanatics, and the fairest thing to do is to speak clearly, with the right words and the good arguments.

I can proudly say that I have never had problems with my teenage students during the minutes de silence because I listen to them and I know how to explain the facts in an honest and well-informed manner.

So, it is completely normal to be sad and angry at what happened: these feelings do not express hatred nor revengeance, but the rightful need of justice and truth.

My youngest students now were just small children at that time, and in four years my future students will not ever been born at the time of the terrorists attack, and the devoir de mémoire will be even more important than it was in 2015.

In memory of all the victims, including the survivors who committed suicide sooner or later after the attacks, and their family and friends, I wish to share the two stunning live versions of Bonfire of Teenagers sang by Morrissey in Dublin, three years ago.

First night at Vicar Street - 15th July 2023.

Second night - 16th July 2023.

Article and drawing by me, of course.

Vera da Pozzo

Paris, 13th November 2026

(C) Vera da Pozzo

(C) Italy is Mine

(C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living

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