Call for Memorial to 1961 Algerian Massacre Victims in Paris

Efforts are underway to establish a memorial in the Parisian cemetery of Thiais, located in Val-de-Marne, to commemorate Algerian victims of the October 17, 1961 massacre. More than 150 Algerian victims of the bloody police repression were interred in this cemetery without stelae, tombstones, or names, remaining largely unrecognized for decades.

Sohir Belabbas, a resident of Chevilly-Larue, along with a local association, is advocating for the rehabilitation of their memory. This initiative coincides with plans for an homage ceremony organized by the popular education association Acces, scheduled to take place at the cemetery on Saturday, October 17, 2026, marking 65 years since the event. The event is being held at the call of the national collective of October 17.

This upcoming ceremony is significant as it will be the first such homage held in the Val-de-Marne region, according to Sohir Belabbas. The ongoing demand for a permanent memorial seeks to bring recognition to those Algerian victims who were buried in secret and anonymity following the historical events.