France says won't remove statues tied to its slave trade, colonial wrongs

President Emmanuel Macron vowed on Sunday that France would not try to erase elements of its history or take down statues of controversial public figures, despite growing global scrutiny of former colonial powers in the wake of worldwide protests.

In an address to the nation, Macron said France would be "uncompromising" in its fight against racism after days of demonstrations over alleged prejudice among police forces.

Angry crowds have toppled statues of colonial figures in Britain and the United States, and there has been an intensified scrutiny of the records of key leaders of the colonial era in Europe.

But Macron said the country would not obscure elements of its history or take down statues of public figures who may have advocated racist views or policies.

"The Republic will not wipe away any trace or any name from its history. It will not forget any of its works. It will not take down any of its statues but lucidly look at out history and our memory together," he said.

READ MORE: Racist and colonial monuments laid to rest around the world

France and Africa's future 

He said this was especially important in Africa, where French colonial rule in several countries left a legacy that remains a subject of anger for many to this day.

Together, France and Africa need to find a "present and a future that is possible on both sides of the Mediterranean," he said.

"We should look at all of our history together" including relations with Africa, with a goal of "truth" instead of "denying who we are," Macron said.

Several demonstrations against racism and police violence against minorities have erupted in French cities in recent weeks, given impetus by the death in police custody of George Floyd in the US.

Protesters have rallied in particular around the case of a young black man, Adama Traore, who died in custody in 2016, a case that remains under investigation.

READ MORE: Why monuments to tyranny must fall

READ MORE: British slave trader's statue toppled in anti-racism protests

'New decisions for equality'

Macron acknowledged that France had to fight against the fact that "the name, the address, the colour of the skin" can affect a person's chances in their lives.

"We will be uncompromising against racism, anti-Semitism and discrimination. New decisions for equality will be taken," he said.

But he warned that the fight against racism became distorted when it became exploited by what he described as "separatists."

"It is necessary to unite around Republican patriotism. We are a nation where everyone – whatever their origin and religion – can find their place," he said.