French president Emmanuel Macron will attend a
ceremony at Montluc prison in Lyon on Monday afternoon to pay tribute to
the French Resistance and to Jean Moulin, one of its most celebrated
leaders during services to commemorate the end of the second world war
in Europe.
On 21 June 1943, Jacques Martel and seven leaders of the Secret Army were arrested in Caluire, near Lyon.
They
spent the night in Montluc prison. Two days later, Klaus Barbie, the
head of the German secret police in Lyon, discovered that Martel was in fact Moulin and took charge of the interrogations himself, earning himself the nickname "the Butcher of Lyon".
Moulin was transferred to Neuilly and died at Metz station as he was being taken to Berlin.
During his visit to Montluc prison, Macron will
also visit the cell where Barbie spent a night after his arrest in
1983. He was sentenced on 4 July 1987 to life imprisonment and died four
years later.
"This is what allowed General de Gaulle to become a
key player vis-à-vis the Anglo-Saxons and France to join the winning
side after the mistakes of the collaborationist Vichy regime," the
presidency said in a statement.
"All this would not have been
possible if Jean Moulin had not gathered around him all the forces of
renewal", coming from all political horizons," Macron's office said.
Rallied banned
Macron's trip to Lyon comes amid often violent social unrest over his changes to France's pensions system. Police chiefs in Lyon have banned rallies and processions near the prison.
Unions have hit out over the decision and say they will rally just outside the police perimeter.
The
trip to Lyon comes on the heels of performing the traditional
presidential duties along the Champs Elysées and at the Arc de Triomphe
for the laying of wreaths and the rekindling of the flame.
There will also be a minute's silence in front of the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Security
has also been stepped up in the capital, where protest rallies have
been banned and barricades set up around the parade route.
Saint-Cyr military school cadets attend
ceremonies marking the end of World War II anniversary (Victory Day),
presided over by French President Emmanuel Macron, Monday, May 8, 2023
in Paris, France
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