French carnival under fire
 

LILLE, FRANCE: A carnival in the northern French port of Dunkirk opened Sunday clouded by a controversy over the use of blackface after criticism from anti-racism campaigners. The weeks-long event, usually attended by tens of thousands of people, sees locals dress up and parade through the streets in costumes, with some choosing to wear black make-up and clothing to resemble African tribal figures. It is under particular scrutiny this year over the ?Night of the Blacks?, a fundraising tradition dating back 50 years, which is set to take place on March 10 at the city´s main conference centre. A poster, put up around the port before being flagged by anti-racism campaigners in December, features three men wearing blackface paint and feather head-dresses. The city´s local mayor, left-winger Patrick Vergriete, has defended blackface as a ?freedom to laugh, to have fun together?, saying the outfits are satirical and meant to be caricatures.

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