Ten years after the terrorist attacks in Paris in which 130 people were killed, including 90 spectators at the concert that the Eagles of Death Metal were playing at the Bataclan, the group's frontman Jesse Hughes returned to the French capital to pay homage to the victims. He will participate today in the commemorative ceremony which will be held in the new memorial garden created near the Hôtel de Ville. On November 13, 2015, he was on stage with the band when three Islamic State terrorists burst in mid-concert with assault rifles and explosive belts, causing a massacre.
«It's probably the worst thing that's ever happened to me. I've lost faith in almost everything, I've lost faith in myself, I've lost my sanity,” Hughes says in a statement shared with Rolling Stone. “I have slowly rebuilt my life thanks to the help of U2, our fans and above all the strength of the French people.”
Hughes is 53 years old today. He explains that returning to France is a sort of solemn ritual for him. “I have returned almost every anniversary to be close to other survivors, a feeling that cannot be described in words. This being the tenth anniversary, my emotions are even stronger. The greatest honor I will ever have in life is to be in Paris, right now, with the warriors of the Bataclan, to show the world that the bad guys didn't win.”
Authorities such as French President Emmanuel Macron and the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo will also participate in the ceremony, as well as survivors and families of the victims. “The nation will come together to honor the memory of the victims, show unwavering support for their loved ones, express gratitude to those who mobilized that evening and reaffirm the constant commitment to the fight against terrorism”, reads a statement released by the Macron presidency, via Associated Press.
On the second anniversary of the attacks, Hughes and the Eagles of Death Metal performed a surprise performance in Paris, playing a cover of Save a Prayer by Duran Duran and their 2015 piece I Love You All the Time. A year earlier, in 2016, Hughes had been the subject of controversy for suggesting in interviews that Islamic members of Bataclan security were involved in the attack. He then apologized.
From Rolling Stone US.
