TEMPO.CO, Paris- Dominique Venner (78) committed suicide at the altar of Notre-Dame Cathedral, Paris, Tuesday. Venner is a historian that is also a right-wing supporter and opponent of gay marriage. When committing suicide, Venner released 3 shots to the inside of his mouth. He executed the act 3 days after President Francois Hollande legalized gay marriage.
Venner killed himself right at the celebration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral 850th year. At the moment, the ancient building was packed with visitors. Upon hearing shots, the tourists were startled and immediately fled from the Cathedral. "All of a sudden he shot himself in the head. Everyone was traumatized," a student, Pricne Salabanzi, told Reuters. When the incident occured, Salabanzi was in the middle of a mass.
Venner himself did not speak a word before he fired his gun. A police told reporters that Venner brought a letter with him, but he refuses to disclose the content to the media.
Previously, at the same day, Venner wrote on his blog. He appealed to readers to join an anti-gay marriage campaign that will be conducted on May 26 this year. "The demonstrators for May 26 could not ignore this reality. Their fight to oppose gay marriage should not be limited," wrote Venner.
In his younger days, Venner had fought for France in the 1954-1962 Algeria fight for freedom. He then became a hard-line supporter of right-wing party and a celebrated military and political history writer. Venner’s suicide received appreciation from the leader of the right-winged National Front, Marine Le Pen. On her Twitter account, Le Pen wrote, the suicide was a political act that was intended to wake up the people of France.
The French Interior Minister Manuel Valls came to the incident location, not long after the police conducted evacuation. He regrets Venner’s decision to choose the Cathedral as his suicide place. "Notre-Dame is one of the most beautiful symbols of our country," he said.
BBC | REUTERS | ANINDYA LEGIA PUTRI