When it comes to terror attacks, we now know that #CelebrityLivesMatter.
A lot.
Specifically, some Nice residents expressed concern that U2 frontman Bono and other celebrities dining a half mile away from the scene of the recent terror attack received special treatment. According to the Telegraph:
But on Thursday, Bono, fellow musician Elton John, and the chef Alain Ducasse were among a number of celebrities caught up in the Bastille Day massacre in Nice.
The lead singer of U2, 56, and Ducasse, 59, were dining on the terrace of La Petite Maison restaurant near the seafront when the mass murderer Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a lorry into crowds who had just watched a fireworks display, killing 84 – including 10 children.
Bono and Ducasse were rescued by armed counter-terrorism police along with other prominent French figures including the former mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, who was also at the restaurant.
However, local residents have questioned the decision to launch special rescue missions of celebrities who were nearly half a mile away from the Nice attack, saying it was a “ridiculous” use of resources at a time when the city was plunged into chaos.
Paulo Mendes, 46, the manager of a souvenir shop next door to the restaurant, said: “It is ridiculous that Bono was rescued by police.”
He told The Telegraph that police were needed half a mile away at the scene of the attack where thousands of people were rushing to safety.
“There was panic everywhere in the town,” he said. “I don’t care if it’s Michael Jackson, Bono or Barack Obama. The police should not help one person just because he is a celebrity. Everyone is equal.”
Silly peasant, don’t be ridiculous.
Another shopkeeper said the restaurant, which charges 450 euros for 25 grams of caviar, was a popular celebrity haunt and Bono was regularly seen there.
Meanwhile, the French people are royally pissed off at the moment. So pissed off that according to Reuters…
Crowds jeered France’s leaders at a tribute on Monday to victims of last week’s truck attack in Nice and an opinion poll showed a sharp drop in confidence in the ability of President Francois Hollande’s government to combat terrorism.
Before and after a minute of silence held to pay respects to the 84 dead, many of the thousands gathered in the south-coast resort city of Nice chanted “resign, resign” at Manuel Valls, the Socialist prime minister. Others yelled “Hollande, resign”.
The poll published in Le Figaro newspaper showed 33 percent of respondents were confident in the current leaders’ ability to fight terrorism, down sharply from confidence levels of at least 50 percent in the wake of two major attacks last year.
If you think the National Front can’t win in next year’s election, think again.