Far-right French mayor causes outrage after barring staging of play about migrant
Summary
A far-right mayor in Castres, France, canceled a scheduled play about migrants called Passeport, calling it political propaganda. The cancellation sparked protests and debate about freedom of artistic expression in France, with government officials reaffirming that artistic freedom is protected by law.Key Facts
- The play Passeport tells the story of a young man from the Calais refugee camp trying to integrate into France.
- The play has been performed widely in France since its premiere in 2024.
- Florian Azéma, the far-right mayor of Castres, removed the play from the town’s cultural program in 2027.
- Azéma said the play promotes illegal immigration and negatively portrays the police.
- The cancellation drew accusations that the far-right National Rally party is censoring culture.
- The French culture minister said artistic freedom is protected under national law.
- The playwright, Alexis Michalik, called the decision political censorship and warned it threatens democracy.
- Michalik described the play as a human story about migrants, based on real journeys he learned from migrants he met.
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