The image resurfaced on Sunday of Bouhafs carrying around the head of the president of the National Rally on a pole. And when questioned about his gesture by identity activist Damien Rieu, the militant journalist from the far left spoke of “a beautiful memory”.
The reactions of elected officials and RN managers quickly followed. “This photo is the bloody stain of #EI. Poor stake from Taha Bouhafs, we will face you head-on!“, commented the French deputy Gilbert Collard.
Cette photo est la souillure sanglante de l'#EI. Pauvre piquet de Taha Bouhafs, on te tiendra tête! #FranceIsoumise
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The activist’s response was sparse. “Did you end the year with sweet words from fat pig Gilbert? Jealous huh?” responded Taha Bouhafs on Monday, December 30.
“Walking around with the head of Marine Le Pen in the street: a normal practice for Taha Bouhafs, part of the Insubordinate France! Islamo-leftism at its most disgusting!” said Bruno Bilde, RN deputy for Pas-de-Calais.
As a reminder, Taha Bouhafs, was a candidate of France Insoumise at the legislative elections in Isère.
It is difficult to qualify Taha Bouhafs, as the opinions concerning him diverge. On the front line of the march against “Islamophobia” recently in Paris, the person concerned presented an impressive list of assaults, verbal and sometimes physical, and has been accused of spreading disinformation.
With gestures worthy of an American televangelist, he coordinated the rally. Journalist by day, and a militant “anti-racist” by night (and vice-versa, the border between his two occupations being perfectly blurred), the Bouhafs case never stops dividing the journalistic profession.
In June 2019, he was arrested on the sidelines of an undocumented movement in Alfortville and had his mobile phone confiscated by the police. But he could count on the unwavering support, among others, of the leftwing French daily Libération, but also of Gaspard Glanz, the independent photo reporter of the Black Block (and file S) who had been arrested in April for contempt of an agent.
Other journalistic voices, reluctant to take sides for what seemed rather to be a communal troublemaker than an authentic journalist, would not speak up however.
The unsuccessful candidate in the June 2017 elections participated in the blockade of the university faculty of Tolbiac and found himself caught up in a storm on social networks. The activist had relayed certain rumors of police violence without having checked the facts.
RN deputy Gilbert Collard published a video of the evacuation of the faculty where we see Taha Bouhafs facing the police. The young man, visibly nervous, calls out and insults the impassive CRS who prevent him from crossing the security cordon.
The deputy regretted at the time that the young man “did not take a pie with or without cream”.
