French march against racism

Tens of thousands of people marched through Paris and other French cities yesterday to denounce racism and anti-Semitism following the torture and killing of a young Jewish kidnap victim.

Politicians from left and right joined the marchers under banners declaring "France united against barbarism" to express their shock over the gang killing, which Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has denounced as an anti-Semitic crime.

Mobile phone salesman Ilan Halimi, 23, was found naked, with burns and stab wounds, south of Paris earlier this month after being held for three weeks by a gang demanding a large ransom. He died of his injuries shortly afterwards.

Youssef Fofana, a French citizen, has been arrested in Ivory Coast on suspicion of leading the gang that kidnapped him.

"There is no political connotation (to the march). This is a demonstration by the people of France who are more than outraged by what happened," said Joseph Sitruk, France's chief rabbi.

"We are here also to say that all racist crimes are unacceptable in our society and that we must be very vigilant because it is a situation which is starting to be worrying," said Jean-Michel Quillardet, head of the Grand Orient of France. Thousands more people marched in other cities. In the southwestern city of Bordeaux, protesters marched behind a photograph of Mr Halimi reading: "Rest in peace, Ilan."

Marchers in Paris included Mr Sarkozy and Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy from the centre right, and Socialist Party leader Francois Hollande and former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin from the left wing.