TRAPPES, France, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Thousands gathered on Friday evening in a poor Paris suburb to pay tribute to the victims of a shooting, a week earlier, in which the gunman deliberately targeted Muslim or African people.
The attack in Trappes, a southwestern Paris suburb, last Friday, which left one dead and seven wounded, has unleashed a bitter debate over racism in French politics and the media. The country has been grappling with a broad set of social grievances, months ahead of a presidential election.
Anti-terrorist prosecutors said on Thursday the 39-year-old suspect, identified as Kevin T, acknowledged during questioning seeking victims of "Muslim, African or North African type". His belongings included a copy of Hitler's book "Mein Kampf" and stickers mentioning far-right party National Rally — though he said he did not support any particular party.
"It was very important for us to come together because there are people who hold harmful ideologies—like that individual. But there are far, far more people who hold good, healthy ideologies, and who believe that living together will overcome racism," said Imad, a Trappes resident and head of local NGO "Aider".
In an interview on YouTube on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron, whose second and last term is set to end in May, accused the National Rally (RN) of fostering an atmosphere of racism in France.
Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh on Friday evening reiterated the accusations during the tribute.
"Open your eyes. The killer did not choose his victims at random," Rabeh said. "His hatred did not come from nowhere. It was inoculated into his mind," he added, accusing the National Rally.
The far-right party, whose leader Marine Le Pen leads opinion polls ahead of the spring elections, rejected the link with the killer.
RN lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy told TF1: "It's Macron who has run France for the past nine years. It's on his watch that antisemitism, homophobia and hate have spread through France. He is to blame."
(Reporting by Lewis Macdonald, Nicolas Economou, Manuel Ausloos and Pedro Nunes, writing by Inti Landauro; Editing by David Gregorio)
