PARIS (AP) — On January 16, over 1,000 individuals attended a memorial ceremony for Jean-Marie Le Pen, the long-time leader of France's far-right party who recently passed away at age 96. The event, held at Notre-Dame du Val-de-Grâce church in central Paris, was closely monitored by significant police presence due to Le Pen's controversial history, which includes multiple convictions for antisemitism and inciting racial violence.

The memorial, described as a "mass for the repose of the soul," featured family members, including his daughter Marine Le Pen, who currently spearheads the National Rally, the party formerly known as the National Front. Attendees also included numerous party officials and loyal supporters. For those unable to attend, large screens outside the church allowed the public to participate virtually. A private funeral took place the previous week in La Trinité-sur-Mer, Le Pen's hometown.

Marine Le Pen, who transformed her father's party, is now positioning herself for a potential run in the 2027 presidential election. As family members exited the church, they were met with applause from the gathered crowd. Notably present was Eric Zemmour, a controversial figure in the far-right spectrum who previously competed against Marine Le Pen in the last presidential election. His attendance was marked by his own legal troubles, having faced multiple convictions related to inciting hatred.

Notably, Jean-Marie Le Pen's niece, Marion Maréchal, currently a member of the European Parliament, was also in attendance. Outside the church, the atmosphere included a controversial figure, Dieudonné M'Bala M'Bala, a comedian with a history of antisemitism convictions, who claimed he had permission to attend under court stipulations.

In stark contrast to the solemnity of the memorial, last week saw thousands celebrating Le Pen's death in demonstrations throughout Paris and other major cities, with crowds chanting jubilantly about his demise. Anti-racism organization SOS Racisme remarked upon the ongoing struggle against the ideologies propagated by Le Pen during his lifetime. The sentiment was a reminder of the divisions he and his legacy continue to embody within French society.

The memorial comes in the shadow of Le Pen's infamous remarks, including a deeply controversial statement made in 1987 referring to the Nazi gas chambers as a "detail in World War II history," which he later reaffirmed in 2015, resulting in a public rift with his daughter. Her efforts to distance the National Rally from such extremist ideologies led to Le Pen's expulsion from the party he founded.

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