topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2304.58 1.43
DAX 6766.67 1.67
IBEX 30 8861.2 1.01
CAC 40 3427.92 1.52
FTSE 100 5901.07 1.81
AEX 326.33 1.01
DJIA 12862.23 1.23
Nasdaq 2905.66 1.61
FTSE MIB 16439.62 1.00
TSX Composite 12577.28 0.19
ASX 4320.1 -0.30
Hang seng 20756.98 0.08
Straits Times 2917.95 0.58
ISEQ 20 506.95 2.24
You are here: Home News French News French Algerian actress attacked over feminist play

French News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


18/01/2010French Algerian actress attacked over feminist play

A 45-year-old theatre actress was doused with petrol in an attack in Paris after weeks of receiving threats over a feminist play she wrote on Algerian women.

Paris – French police believe a theatre actress who was doused with petrol in an attack in Paris last week was targeted for starring in a feminist play she wrote on Algerian women, a judicial official said Friday.

The 45-year-old born in Algeria, who goes by the name of Rayhana, said two men approached her while she was walking to the theatre on Tuesday, grabbed her from behind, slapped her across the face and poured petrol on her.

"I could smell the petrol. A flame brushed my hat and then I ran," she said.

Rayhana has since been placed under police protection and the investigation into the attack being led by the anti-terrorism unit of the crime brigade, which has tackled many cases involving Muslim extremists.

Rayhana is starring alongside eight other women in "At my age, I still hide to have a smoke", a play she wrote about a group of women who chat about their lives during a visit to an Algiers hamman spa.

The play, which is a sell-out features some unflattering views about Muslim men.

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday's attack, the actress said she had received threats and had filed a complaint with police on 5 January.

"Investigators strongly suspect" that there is a link between the attack and the play's subject matter, said a judicial source.

Theatre director Philippe Mourrat said the play gave a voice to modern Algerian women and that "this could annoy some Muslim men".

"I talk about women that I know well, about a culture that I know well. The play talks about women in general," Rayhana told AFP this week.

The actress said she would continue performing to show that "I'm not afraid of them" and that France is a country where "there is freedom of expression".

Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand has expressed support for Rayhana and praised her "courage" for returning to the stage after the attack.

Born in a working-class area of Algiers, Rayhana studied and worked in her native country before moving to France a few years ago. The Paris play was her first written in French.

AFP / Expatica


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Sport in France

Open House at RITUEL PARIS - FREE CLASSES ON SUNDAY FEBRUARY 5TH

Community Noticeboard France

Republicans Abroad Europe

Immigration and Legal Problems

Doing PACS with my lesbian partner in France

Healthcare in France

U.S. federal employee health insurance coverage abroad

Discuss French Culture

<Dating>What are your views on dating the French?

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Management culture in France

Management culture in France

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes information on business hierarchy, negotiations, and etiquette.

American associations and clubs in Paris

American associations and clubs in Paris

A listing of organizations in the Paris area that cater primarily to Americans living in France. Updated April 2011.

British associations and clubs in Paris

British associations and clubs in Paris

Our handy guide to the British community in Paris, from cricket clubs to Scottish country dancing lessons to where to find a jar of Marmite.

Anglophone services in France

Anglophone services in France

Here's a short introduction to our Banking section for those living in France, from how to open a bank account to Islamic banking and investments.