2023-11-04 03:31:45
The drawing could resemble an ephemeral Banksy-style work. On this wall on rue Lacaze, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, a little boy is holding a heart-shaped balloon with a Star of David inside. Two Israeli flags frame the scene, on either side of a building entrance door. And on the other side of a window, a fourth blue Star of David sits in the middle of what looks like the skyline of the Old City of Jerusalem.
“Israel will live”, we can read around it in Hebrew and Latin alphabets. Stéphane Zibi, a resident of the 15th century, posted this work of street art on X (formerly Twitter) this Thursday at the end of the day. Since then, this larger-than-life photo montage has been widely shared, commented on and viewed more than 310,000 times. But it has also often been taken as a reality. “The tagged stars become alive,” writes in comments this artificial intelligence consultant, columnist on Jewish Community Radio (RCJ), himself deceived.
“It warmed my heart”
Tuesday morning, these 4 blue stars of David appeared on this Parisian facade. A Jewish symbol which has been stenciled on dozens of homes in several districts of the capital but also in other towns in Île-de-France such as Saint-Ouen (Seine-Saint-Denis) or Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine). Tags which aroused the fear of many local residents. “This act of marking recalls the processes of the 1930s and the Second World War which led to the extermination of millions of Jews,” said the 14th century town hall in a press release, while denouncing “anti-Semitic acts”.
The Paris public prosecutor’s office has since opened an investigation for damage to the property of others aggravated by the circumstance that these tags concern origin, race, ethnicity or religion. “I was returning from Châtelet by car when I discovered these tags in the 14th century,” recalls Stéphane Zibi. We were all shocked to see that what existed 80 years ago was back on the walls. »
Two days later, among the messages he received on Messenger, Stéphane Zibi came across this photo of the facade of rue Lacaze revisited. The drawing – whose author he was unable to find – “suddenly transforms the tags into a formidable message”. “It warmed my heart,” he confides. Besides, as soon as I posted it, there were immediately dozens of reactions. This is a wonderful snub to the idiots who tagged these stars. It counteracts the darkness with something beautiful. »
Stars quickly erased from the walls
He first believes in a work done on the wall. But when he zooms in, he realizes that “it’s Photoshop”. All the stars were quickly erased from the walls on Tuesday. “In the morning, the police first had to note each tag,” explains Amine Bouabbas, first deputy mayor of the 14th arrondissement. Then all the stars were erased or covered. » “The town hall was very efficient the same day,” confirms a resident of rue Lacaze.
But even if the drawing is not real, Stéphane Zibi wants to read a message of hope in it. “When I see all the reactions it has provoked, I find it beautiful, fake or not. »
“Beauty” in a context where anti-Semitic acts continue to multiply. This Friday, anti-Semitic tags were notably discovered on the walls of several schools in Strasbourg. Two swastikas were also placed in a street in the 17th arrondissement in Paris.
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