MAIL ONLINE: Man kills himself in iconic Parisian attraction / French media reports say historian Dominique Venner shot himself / He is known to be a virulent opponent of gay marriage / The 78-year-old also fought in a militant paramilitary group / The historic site was close to the public
A right-wing historian shot himself dead in front of hundreds of tourists at the altar of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris today, apparently in protest at France's legalisation of gay marriage.
Dominique Venner, who had recently been campaigning against gay marriage in France, is said to have calmly walked past the crowds milling around the 850-year-old Cathedral, one of the most popular tourist sites in the world, before taking out a Herstal automatic pistol.
The 78-year-old put the gun in his mouth and fired before collapsing on to the altar, according to French media reports.
Mr Venner, who was awarded a prestigious prize by l'Académie française for one of his historical works, was a former member of the Secret Army Organisation (OAS), the paramilitary group which fought against France giving up Algeria as a colony.
He was jailed for 18 months in La Santé Prison as a political undesirable for his role in the ultra-national organisation and was freed in 1962.
A report by Europe 1 radio station reads: 'According to our information, he is Dominique Venner, essayist and former member of the OAS who was close to the anti-gay marriage movement.'
The Cathedral was full of visitors when the horrific incident took place, at around 4pm. 'There was screaming and lot so shouting following a loud bang,' said one witness. 'People were naturally very scared and began to run out in panic. » | Sam Webb | Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Dominique Venner »
Biographie »
