Anti-racism campaigners in France have defaced a street sign in the capital named after Thomas Bugeaud, a former military commander and the first colonial governor of Algeria, reports BBC News.
Members of the group SOS Racisme decided that Avenue Bugeaud in Paris should be renamed and put up a sign in its place reading: “Avenue of the Butcher Bugeaud".
In the explanation [on Twitter], instead of saying he was a French marshal and giving his dates 1784-1849, it labels him a "war criminal" and "the executioner of Algeria's conquest", according to a photo the group tweeted.
Le Parisien newspaper says a sign was added next to it, saying: “Scorched Earth Avenue”.
These are references to Marshal Bugeaud’s military tactics during his conquest of the North African nation in 1830.
A scorched-earth policy - including the burning of all crops and demolishing of homes - was used.