Eagles of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes Returns to Paris to Honour Bataclan Victims 10 Years On

Eagles of Death Metal’s Jesse Hughes has returned to Paris for the 10th anniversary of the Bataclan attack during the band’s show.

Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes has travelled back to Paris to take part in the 10th anniversary memorial of the Bataclan terror attack, where 90 people were killed during the band’s show on November 13, 2015.

The ceremony is being held at a newly built memorial garden near Paris City Hall, attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, and survivors and families of the victims.

Hughes, who was performing onstage with Eagles of Death Metal when three Islamic State gunmen opened fire inside the Bataclan, described the experience as the most devastating moment of his life. “What happened 10 years ago was perhaps the worst thing that ever happened in my life. I lost faith in almost everything, I lost my confidence, I lost my sanity,” he said, via Rolling Stone. “Through the help of U2, our fans, and most importantly the strength of the people of France, I have slowly rebuilt my reality.”

Since 2015, Hughes has made a point of returning to France for almost every anniversary. “I have come back to France nearly every anniversary to share a camaraderie with my fellow survivors that cannot be described,” he said. “This being the 10 year anniversary, my emotions are all over the place.”

The Eagles of Death Metal frontman called his involvement in this year’s event “the greatest honour I will ever have,” adding that he stands with “all the warriors from the Bataclan to show the world that the bad guys did not win.”

In a statement ahead of the commemoration, President Macron’s office said France would “gather to honour the memory of those who lost their lives, show its unwavering support for their loved ones, express its gratitude to all those who intervened, and reaffirm its ongoing commitment to the fight against terrorism.”

Eagles of Death Metal previously returned to Paris in 2017 for a tribute performance marking the second anniversary of the tragedy, performing Duran Duran’s ‘Save a Prayer’ and their own song ‘I Love You All the Time.’

The band’s connection with France was briefly strained in 2016 when Hughes made controversial comments suggesting Muslim security guards at the Bataclan had been complicit in the attack when interviewed by Fox News and Taki’s Magazine. He later apologised for those remarks.