Vandals felled an olive tree planted in memory of Ilan Halimi, a Jewish man tortured to death in 2006, prompting French President Emmanuel Macron to denounce the act as an “attempt to kill him a second time” and vowing decisive action against antisemitism.
In a brazen act of vandalism that has sparked national outrage, unknown perpetrators have cut down a memorial olive tree in Epinay-sur-Seine, just outside Paris — a living tribute to Ilan Halimi, the young French Jew abducted, tortured for 24 days, and murdered in 2006 solely because of his faith.
Planted in 2011 during a ceremony attended by the Chief Rabbi of France and members of the Jewish community, the tree stood as a poignant symbol of remembrance in the Parc des Senteurs. While the commemorative plaque at its base remains untouched, the felling of the tree has been widely condemned as a deliberate act of antisemitic hatred.
French President Emmanuel Macron minced no words: “Cutting down the tree in memory of Ilan Halimi is an attempt to kill him a second time. It will not happen. France will never forget this young man who died because he was Jewish. In the face of antisemitism, the Republic is always uncompromising.”
Epinay-sur-Seine Mayor Hervé Chevreau echoed the sentiment, stating there was “no doubt” about the antisemitic motive. A formal complaint has been lodged for the destruction of public memorial property, and Chevreau vowed to replant the tree as a reaffirmation of the city’s commitment to fight antisemitism and preserve Halimi’s memory.
