Gaza photo must return to French sports festival, court says

A French court on Monday ordered the Deauville Sports Images Festival to put back on display a withdrawn photo of two Gaza football teams on a pitch surrounded by destroyed buildings.

The picture, taken by Gaza photographer Jehad Alshrafi for the Associated Press, had been removed halfway through the exhibition in the Channel resort town.

A lawyer for Deauville town hall, Marie-Therese Sur-Le Liboux, defended the removal in court, saying there was a risk of public disorder and that local authorities had seen a “torrent of hatred” on social media. She did not give examples.

The court suspended the August 20 order by the town’s mayor, saying it was not necessary or proportionate.

The exhibition, which is about the values of sport, opened in June and is due to run until September 6. Deauville officials told the court it would take six days to print the photo again and put it back on display.

Agnes Tricoire, head of the OLC rights group that sought the court order, said it would be “scandalous” if the original photo had been destroyed and promised further action.