A few dozen people gathered Friday evening in front of the Escapade theater in Hénin-Beaumont to protest the appearance of Jean-Luc Lahaye. The former singer from the 1980s, now 73 years old, was performing to a packed house despite the legal controversies surrounding his name for several years.
At the call of the #NousToutes collective and local anti-fascist organizations, around thirty protesters denounced the artist's performance. Carrying signs in support of victims of sexual violence, they chanted several slogans directed at the concertgoers. The organizers of the demonstration believe that this performance sends the wrong message to victims of sexist and sexual violence.
Legal proceedings still ongoing
From the audience's perspective, some spectators invoked the principle of presumption of innocence to justify their presence. Others felt that the accusations against the singer should not prevent him from performing his concerts. According to the municipality, tickets for this performance sold out very quickly after going on sale.
Jean-Luc Lahaye has a prior conviction for offenses involving minors and was indicted in 2021 for rape and sexual assault of minors over the age of 15 in a case he denies. The scheduling of this concert has sparked numerous political reactions, with several officials denouncing the artist's inclusion in the program while the legal proceedings are still ongoing.
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