The French policeman who was killed by a jihadist on Paris’ Champs Elysees in April has been married in a posthumous ceremony with his gay partner.<\/p>\n
The wedding of late Xavier Jugel\u00e9 and Etienne Cardiles was conducted in the presence of former President Francois Hollande and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.<\/p>\n
France is one of the few countries where posthumous marriages are permitted by law.<\/p>\n
Mr Jugel\u00e9 was shot dead on 20 April while on duty on the famous avenue.<\/p>\n
Two other officers were wounded in the attack – just days before the first round of the French presidential elections.<\/p>\n
The attacker, who was later named as convicted criminal Karim Cheurfi, was shot dead by security forces.<\/p>\n
A note defending so-called Islamic State was found near his body.<\/p>\n
Xavier Jugel\u00e9, 37, was an active campaigner for gay rights. He was in a civil partnership and did not have children.<\/p>\n
His murder caused huge emotion across France, especially after the moving address by his partner at the subsequent ceremony of remembrance.<\/p>\n
“I have no hatred, Xavier, because it is not like you and does not fit with what made your heart beat nor what made you a guardian of the peace,” Mr Cardiles said.<\/p>\n
Originally from the Loire Valley region in central France, Mr Jugel\u00e9 had been serving in the capital since 2014.<\/p>\n
He was deployed on the night of the November 2015 attacks in Paris to the Bataclan concert hall, returning the following year on the night the venue reopened.<\/p>\n
Interviewed by the BBC’s Nick Garnett at the same venue a year later, Mr Jugel\u00e9 said: “I want to celebrate life and say ‘no’ to terrorism.”<\/p>\n
Wednesday’s ceremony is believed to be the first posthumous gay wedding to take place in France, and presumably therefore in the world, the BBC’s Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.<\/p>\n
Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"