Vandals damaged the grave of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France's far-right National Front, as confirmed by his family on Friday in Brussels.
Le Pen's granddaughter, Marion Marechal, shared on her social media account that the defacement of the grave in La Trinité-sur-Mer cemetery in Brittany was discovered, three weeks after his passing at the age of 96.
In response, Marechal expressed, You've destroyed the grave of our ancestors. Do you think you can break our hearts, intimidate us, discourage us? Our response will be to fight you ever harder, generation after generation. Our determination will match your infamy.
Jean-Marie Le Pen, a controversial figure in France, tapped into white working-class anger over immigration and globalization, while also facing criticism for downplaying the Holocaust. Upon the announcement of his death, hundreds gathered in central Paris to celebrate.
His daughter, Marine Le Pen, succeeding his leadership, rebranded the party as the National Rally, aiming to appeal to a broader spectrum of voters including centrists, and is seen as a potential candidate for the French presidency in 2027.
Commenting on the desecration of the grave, National Rally lawmaker Jean-Philippe Tanguy informed reporters that the vandalism would not sway the party's policies. Tanguy added, I imagine this was done by the same riffraff who celebrated his death of a man on the Place de la Republique. It says everything about them and nothing about us.