video Video
Cemetery plot debate mires French Roma baby funeral
Monday, January 05, 2015 - 01:14
The alleged refusal of a French mayor to bury a Roma baby in the local cemetery sparks an outcry in France, with the funeral taking place in a neighbouring town. Vanessa Johnston reports.
▲ Hide Transcript
▶ View Transcript
France's Roma community prepares to bury a baby girl -- following a heated public debate. Maria Francesca reportedly died in this Roma camp, located in Champlan, on Christmas Day. Her funeral is now being held in a neighboring town... ...after Champlan's conservative mayor, Christian Leclerc, allegedly refused to allow the baby's burial in his municipality... Sparking accusations of racism. Loic Gandais is president of the local Roma and Romanian support association. (SOUNDBITE) (French) PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL ROMA AND ROMANIAN SUPPORT GROUP LOIC GANDAIS SAYING: "It's the second time the mother has lost a baby to sudden infant death syndrome...so she's devastated." The Roma's nomadic lifestyle and reputation for pickpocketing and aggressive begging have made them controversial in France... ...and a subject that has helped boost the far right. But Far Right National Front leader Marine Le Pen echoed many other politicians. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LEADER OF NATIONAL FRONT MARINE LE PEN SAYING (STARTS ON SHOT OF REPORTER): "I think that this was a mistake on the part of the mayor. It shows a lack of humanity." Leclerc has denied opposing the baby's burial in Champlan. Maria Francesca's family is now focused on saying goodbye.
Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code
Cemetery plot debate mires French Roma baby funeral
Monday, January 05, 2015 - 01:14
Top News »
4:23pm BST - (0:50)
2:43pm BST - (1:25)
1:44am BST - (2:02)
1:44am BST - (0:43)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:20)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (0:31)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:19)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (2:27)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:40)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:48)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:55)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:08)
Editors' Picks »
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:03)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:00)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (2:11)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:30)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:32)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (2:07)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (1:18)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (2:11)
Most Popular »
Thu, 16 Feb, 2017 - (1:35)
Business »
7:56am BST - (2:13)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:12)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:35)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:37)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (4:21)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:27)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:35)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (4:06)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:08)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:20)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:15)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:23)
Featured Videos
Engineers turn rubbish into car parts in Venezuela
Two engineers are using 3D printers to convert plastic waste from a rubbish dump into intricate pieces such as car parts to help a hard-hit economy
Want a jet suit? Well now you can have one
A jet suit created by a former commodities trader has gone on sale in a London department store with a price tag of £340,000
Artists ditch canvases for humans
Artists and body models enter one of 12 categories at the 21st edition of the World Body Painting Festival, held at Klagenfurt in Austria
Iraq’s wetland wildlife under attack
Water buffaloes living in Iraq's southern wetland are in danger as low water levels and increased salinity are helping to spread disease among animals
Classic 1965 Ford Mustang given self-driving abilities
Scientists have teamed up with engineering firm Siemens to retro-fit a classic 1965 Ford Mustang with driverless technology, and have tested it on a racetrack at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Technology »
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:58)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:57)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:56)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (1:59)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (1:03)
Sun, 15 Jul, 2018 - (1:22)
Sun, 15 Jul, 2018 - (1:55)
Sun, 15 Jul, 2018 - (0:53)
Fri, 13 Jul, 2018 - (1:02)
Thu, 12 Jul, 2018 - (1:34)
Entertainment »
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (0:59)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:03)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:51)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (0:55)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (1:30)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:43)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:19)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:53)
Sun, 15 Jul, 2018 - (1:36)
Sat, 14 Jul, 2018 - (0:47)
Sports And Leisure »
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:32)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:24)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:05)
Mon, 16 Jul, 2018 - (4:25)
Thu, 12 Jul, 2018 - (0:59)
Wed, 11 Jul, 2018 - (1:24)
Mon, 09 Jul, 2018 - (2:05)
Fri, 06 Jul, 2018 - (0:54)
Thu, 05 Jul, 2018 - (0:52)
Thu, 05 Jul, 2018 - (1:34)
Oddly Enough »
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:04)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:03)
Fri, 20 Jul, 2018 - (1:50)
Thu, 19 Jul, 2018 - (1:02)
Wed, 18 Jul, 2018 - (1:26)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:19)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (0:45)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:38)
Tue, 17 Jul, 2018 - (1:53)
Dateline Asia »
Tue, 05 Dec, 2017 - (2:06)
Tue, 05 Dec, 2017 - (2:11)
Fri, 01 Dec, 2017 - (2:04)
Thu, 30 Nov, 2017 - (2:10)
Thu, 30 Nov, 2017 - (2:14)
Wed, 29 Nov, 2017 - (2:11)
Tue, 28 Nov, 2017 - (1:55)
Tue, 28 Nov, 2017 - (2:21)
Mon, 27 Nov, 2017 - (2:25)
Fri, 24 Nov, 2017 - (2:16)
Fri, 24 Nov, 2017 - (2:14)
Thu, 23 Nov, 2017 - (2:18)