Vandals in France damaged a sculpture of an Algerian military hero who resisted France's colonisation of the North African country, hours before it was to be inaugurated on Saturday.
The lower part of the steel sculpture in the town of Amboise, where Emir Abdelkader was imprisoned from 1848 to 1952, was damaged in the attack which took place in the midst of an election campaign dominated by immigration and Islam.
Amboise mayor Thierry Boutard said he was "ashamed" of those responsible and decided to proceed with the ceremony.
"I was ashamed that someone would treat an artwork and an artist in this way," he said.
"My second sentiment is, of course, one of indignation. This is a day of harmony and unity and this kind of behaviour is unspeakable."
Police said they were investigating the incident.
The sculpture by contemporary artist Michel Audiard was commissioned to coincide with the 60th anniversary of Algeria's independence.
The sculpture of Abdelkader, an Islamic scholar who turned military leader and was feted as a hero in France for his defence of Christians in the Middle East, looks across the Loire river at the castle where he was imprisoned.
Algeria's ambassador to France Mohamed Antar Daoud, who attended the inauguration, condemned the attack as an act of "unspeakable baseness" and said he was confident that the process of reconciliation between the two countries would endure.
Ouassila Soum, a 37-year-old French woman of Algerian background who attended the inauguration, said the vandalism left her "with a knot in my stomach".
"It's a shame and yet it's not surprising with the rhetoric of hate and the nauseating current atmosphere," she said.
Called "France's worst enemy" in the late 19th century, Emir Abdelkader is considered one of the founders of modern-day Algeria.
The rebellion he led failed, and he surrendered to French forces who shipped him to France, where he and his family spent four years under guard in Amboise castle.
He later moved to Syria, where he won international acclaim for defending Christians during sectarian attacks.
He was awarded the Legion of Honour, France's highest award for his role in trying to end the persecution.
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Specs
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2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
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2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
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2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
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2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds
Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
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Transmission: Eight-speed auto
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Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
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The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
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Guns N’ Roses’s last gig before Abu Dhabi was in Hong Kong on November 21. We were there – and here’s what they played, and in what order. You were warned.
- It’s So Easy
- Mr Brownstone
- Chinese Democracy
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Double Talkin’ Jive
- Better
- Estranged
- Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
- Slither (Velvet Revolver cover)
- Rocket Queen
- You Could Be Mine
- Shadow of Your Love
- Attitude (Misfits cover)
- Civil War
- Coma
- Love Theme from The Godfather (movie cover)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine
- Wichita Lineman (Jimmy Webb cover)
- Wish You Were Here (instrumental Pink Floyd cover)
- November Rain
- Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
- Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
- Nightrain
Encore:
- Patience
- Don’t Cry
- The Seeker (The Who cover)
- Paradise City
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
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