Paris Bataclan band holds surprise anniversary show

Two members of the Californian group took to the stage in a non-scheduled appearance in front of the Mairie of the 11th arrondissement on the second anniversary of the tragedy, during an event organised by the Life For Paris victims’ association.

They notably played the song - Save A Prayer - that they had just finished performing when the violence struck, according to French news source 20 Minutes.

The singer, Jesse Hughes, appeared to be particularly emotional. After the show, he is said to have distributed white roses to relatives and friends of some of the victims.

However, the band has attracted some controversy since the attacks: when the Bataclan re-opened last year, the director refused to welcome the group back, due to alleged statements from Hughes since the atrocities.

Hughes - who is said to be a supporter of gun carrying in the United States - had reportedly expressed doubt over the capabilities of the Bataclan security team, and also appeared in an interview with a far-right publication, alleging that he had seen “Muslims celebrating in the street during the attack”.

Following the comments, two French festivals cancelled the group’s appearance in the summer of 2016, but the band had already played in Paris since then, including at the end of a U2 concert a few weeks after the attacks, and at a high-security concert in February 2016, in front of a crowd that included survivors from the original violence.