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 »
9:28am BST - (0:46)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:27)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (4:16)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (0:51)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (0:57)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (0:55)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (2:48)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (1:21)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (1:36)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (1:20)
Sat, 14 Oct, 2017 - (1:35)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:44)
Editors' Picks »
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:04)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (1:46)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:13)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (2:24)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (1:05)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (2:01)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:18)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:32)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (2:41)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (1:19)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (2:16)
Sun, 08 Oct, 2017 - (2:02)
Most Popular »
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:03)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:15)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:41)
Tue, 19 Sep, 2017 - (1:44)
7:05am BST - (1:26)
Tue, 08 Dec, 2015 - (1:32)
Tue, 13 Dec, 2016 - (1:41)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:51)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (0:55)
Fri, 21 Jul, 2017 - (2:05)
Wed, 26 Apr, 2017 - (1:54)
Fri, 16 Jun, 2017 - (1:27)
Business »
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:14)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:21)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:23)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:38)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:07)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:43)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:35)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:23)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:54)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:24)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:34)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:17)
Featured Videos
Bearing up well - Duchess of Cambridge dances with Paddington
Pregnant royal Kate dances with the famous bear at a charity event at London's Paddington station
Mice with green feet demonstrate CRISPR gene editing technology
British scientists are testing cutting edge gene editing techniques in mice, by inserting a jelly fish gene that makes their skin green
Virgin backs 'Hyperloop One'
British billionaire Richard Branson has announced his Virgin Group will become a partner in ''Hyperloop One'', a super train conceptualized by Elon Musk to ferry passengers from New York to Washington, D.C. in less than an hour
Indonesian town gives owls their jobs back
A small town in Indonesia has given owls their traditional job of pest control back - rejecting a growing trend in selling owls or 'Harry Potter Birds' as many call them
"Loving Vincent" premieres in London
Van Gogh inspired film ''Loving Vincent'' premieres in London
Technology »
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:30)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (2:21)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:54)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:51)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (1:22)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:32)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (2:12)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (2:07)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (1:37)
Fri, 06 Oct, 2017 - (1:38)
Thu, 05 Oct, 2017 - (3:08)
Thu, 05 Oct, 2017 - (1:31)
Entertainment »
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:20)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:25)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:40)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:07)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:11)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (2:25)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (0:59)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:42)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:43)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:54)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (1:29)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (1:59)
Sports And Leisure »
10:18am BST - (0:47)
10:20am BST - (2:54)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:27)
8:14am BST - (1:44)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:36)
Sun, 15 Oct, 2017 - (2:32)
Fri, 13 Oct, 2017 - (1:21)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (1:12)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:39)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:21)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:18)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:01)
Oddly Enough »
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (1:09)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (1:32)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (1:00)
Fri, 06 Oct, 2017 - (1:43)
Thu, 05 Oct, 2017 - (1:53)
Thu, 05 Oct, 2017 - (1:50)
Wed, 04 Oct, 2017 - (0:55)
Tue, 03 Oct, 2017 - (0:59)
Sat, 30 Sep, 2017 - (1:09)
Fri, 29 Sep, 2017 - (1:39)
Fri, 29 Sep, 2017 - (1:13)
Thu, 28 Sep, 2017 - (1:53)
Dateline Asia »
9:22am BST - (2:14)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (1:54)
5:43am BST - (2:08)
Mon, 16 Oct, 2017 - (2:07)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (2:12)
Thu, 12 Oct, 2017 - (2:00)
Wed, 11 Oct, 2017 - (2:00)
Tue, 10 Oct, 2017 - (2:22)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (1:59)
Mon, 09 Oct, 2017 - (2:15)
Fri, 06 Oct, 2017 - (2:24)
Fri, 06 Oct, 2017 - (1:55)