White march in Bollène: a thousand people pay tribute to Katerina, killed by her ex-partner
Nearly one thousand people marched in Bollène (Vaucluse) for Katerina, a mother of two killed on 6 August. Her ex-partner, a National Rally candidate's running mate, is in provisional detention.
A thousand people gathered in Bollène for Katerina, alleged femicide victim of Vaucluse
Nearly one thousand people gathered on Wednesday, 19 August in Bollène, in Vaucluse, to pay tribute to Katerina, a mother in her forties who was killed on 6 August at her home, according to France Info. Her ex-partner, who was a running mate of the National Rally candidate in the municipal elections of March 2026 in Bollène, is the primary suspect in this case.
Charged with "murder by spouse", he was placed in provisional detention on 8 June. The white march, organised in the heart of this Vaucluse municipality, brought together residents who came to denounce violence against women and femicide.
Close relatives who knew
Several testimonies from Katerina's close circle, collected by ICI Vaucluse, indicate that the victim suffered physical violence from her ex-partner. These revelations weighed heavily on the atmosphere of the gathering, where participants called on the state for greater resources to ensure more effective and faster justice.
Katerina lived in Bollène but worked in the Drôme, in Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux. A mother of two, she had already filed a complaint in June against her ex-partner after violence that occurred "in a context of couple separation", according to a statement from the Avignon prosecutor's office published in early August.
Insufficient protective measures
Following this complaint, the suspect was placed under judicial supervision and was to appear before the Carpentras tribunal in November. Katerina had also benefited, the prosecutor's office noted, "from additional protective measures with the provision of an emergency phone issued at the end of June", as well as "a protection order issued by the family affairs judge".
These measures were not enough to prevent the tragedy of 6 August.
Family mobilised from the Czech Republic
Katerina's mother made the journey from the Czech Republic to participate in the white march. She is now attempting to repatriate her daughter's body to her country of origin. An online fundraiser has been set up to help the family finance this repatriation.
Source: France Info