A French right-wing historian shot himself dead yesterday in front of hundreds of tourists at the altar of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris in protest at the introduction of gay marriage in France. Dominique Venner, 78, is said to have walked calmly past the crowds before taking out an automatic pistol and shooting himself in the head. It came three days after President Francois Hollande signed gay marriage into law despite the issue proving hugely controversial. Dominique Venner, an historian, shot himself dead in front of the altar of Paris's Notre Dame Cathedral, according to French media reports, reportedly in protest at moves to allow gay people to marry in France
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Man kills himself in iconic Parisian attraction
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French media reports say historian Dominique Venner shot himself
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He is known to be a virulent opponent of gay marriage
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The 78-year-old also fought in a militant paramilitary group
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The historic site was close to the public
@placeholder has seen a number of suicides in its long history, but most of them have been people who jumped from the towers.