Demonstrators mar French World War II ceremony

May 8, 1997
Web posted at: 4:54 p.m. EDT (2054 GMT)

CAYENNE, French Guiana (CNN) -- Demonstrators protesting the imprisonment of French Guiana independence leaders disrupted a ceremony Thursday marking the 52nd anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

There were no reports of violence from the protest in France's South American territory. More than 100 demonstrators chanting "liberate our comrades," drowned out the music of a French Foreign Legion band playing the French national anthem at the war memorial in Cayenne.

War veterans and officials present expressed shock at the protest. Meanwhile, in Paris, French President Jacques Chirac laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There was a minute of silence, followed by the playing of the French national anthem.

Reuters contributed to this report.

 

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