Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in several French cities Saturday to protest against sexual violence, the latest manifestation of outrage that has been sparked by the rape and killing of an 11-year-old girl.
The body of the girl, named as Lyhanna, was found last month after she went missing on May 29 in the southwestern town of Fleurance.
The suspect, a 41-year-old father of a school friend of the victim, had twice before been formally accused of raping a child, but investigations had been dropped or had stalled.
The death has sparked outrage and calls for the resignation of Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin who has refused to step down but apologised for what he called a "huge failure".
On Saturday people marched in Paris shouting slogans such as "Truth emerges from the mouths of children!" and "160,000 children, what are you doing?"
