The organising committee of the Paris Olympics said it was shocked by "racist" attacks made by far-right French groups against Malian-French singer Aya Nakamura.
The attacks were triggered by reports that Nakamura, 28, would perform a song by the legendary 20th century French singer Édith Piaf at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in July.
On Sunday, the far-right group Les Natifs protested in Paris with a banner saying: "There's no way Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market", referring to the capital of Mali, where Nakamura was born.
She migrated to France with her family as a child and received French citizenship in 2021.
The music star was also booed by supporters of the far-right Reconquest party during a rally held on Sunday.
“We have been very shocked by the racist attacks against Aya Nakamura in recent days. [We offer our] total support to the most listened-to French artist in the world,” the Paris Olympics organising committee said on Monday.
Several fans and French leaders, including French MP Antoine Leaument and Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera, have supported Nakamura.
Les Natifs has continued to double down, saying Nakamura does not represent French culture and her performance would signal the "Africanization" of French culture.
Nakamura is one of the biggest musicians in France, and some reports name her as the most listened-to French-singing musician in the world.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana shouldn’t have experienced any ‘dumsor’ after 2017 – IES Boss
33 mins -
Lamens flouted some food safety laws in re-bagging rice – Former FDA Boss Alhaji Hudu Mogtari
1 hour -
Afcon exit: Our issue is administrative failure and mismanagement, not lack of talent – Saddick Adams
1 hour -
WAPCo to commence major pipeline maintenance and inspection from November 25
2 hours -
CEO of Oro Oil Ghana Limited Maxwell Commey listed among the 100 Most Influential People Awards, 2024
2 hours -
Power crisis: Amandi is off due to maintenance, not debt – ECG Boss
2 hours -
Votes cast for late Akua Donkor to be declared invalid – Electoral Commission
2 hours -
You can’t keep “incompetent” Otto Addo for the long term – Countryman Songo
2 hours -
Joy FM holds 2024 Prayer Summit for Peace
3 hours -
Lady sues Police and AG over assault in custody
4 hours -
Ghana’s railway sector has been revived under my leadership – Akufo-Addo
4 hours -
Next government must enforce C190 – Women Economic Dialogue Forum
4 hours -
NCCE engages party youth activists at Nandom on peaceful election
4 hours -
SSNIT engages stakeholders on its operations
4 hours -
Defilement: 19-year-old farmer jailed ten years, with hard labour
4 hours