Yvan Colonna is back in Corsica. His remains arrived in Ajaccio on Wednesday night, greeted by a hedge of hundreds of people, before the funeral on Friday at 3pm in Cargèse of the pro-independence activist sentenced to life in prison for the 1998 assassination of Prefect Erignac.
At least 1,500 people, according to the authorities, were massed along the road leaving the airport to pay their respects. Red lanterns were lined up on the asphalt and hundreds of Corsican flags representing a Moor’s head wearing a white headband were brandished. As the hearse carrying the coffin covered with a Corsican flag passed, some in the silent crowd approached to touch the vehicle, others made the sign of the cross.
“When we touch one of ours, we are all there”
“We want to show the French state that there is a Corsican people” and that “when we touch one of ours, we are all there, no matter what divisions we may have,” said Jean Mattei. , a well-known figure in the island music scene. “What happened to him in prison is inadmissible,” continued Monique Antonietti, a 63-year-old retiree who said she felt “between hatred and sadness.”
Yvan Colonna was violently attacked on March 2 in the sports hall of the prison of Arles, in the Bouches-du-Rhône, by a fellow prisoner who was serving a sentence for terrorism. After almost three weeks in a coma, this former shepherd died Monday evening at the age of 61 in a Marseille hospital.
flags at half mast
Since the announcement of his death, meditation has prevailed on the island, contrasting with the scenes of violence that have punctuated the various demonstrations of support for nearly two weeks. The Collectivity of Corsica put its flags at half mast on Tuesday. Asked about this on Wednesday during an interview with M6, Emmanuel Macron denounced “a fault”. “It is inappropriate”, added, without further comment, the head of state.
On Wednesday evening, a dozen Corsican flags at half-mast were hung by demonstrators on the outside gates of the Ajaccio prefecture, with the banner “Glory to you Yvan” in Corsica.