A dispute over a million euros. The proposal made by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region to pay one million euros to the city of Lyon to finance the development of security tools ended in failure, before turning into controversy. Above all, it confirmed the deep divisions between Laurent Wauquiez and Grégory Doucet, sharing radically opposed visions on the handling of security.
Last fall, when the spotlights began to shine on the Guillotière district, when urban rodeos multiplied and exacerbated the residents to the highest degree, when the Daltons taunted the police, the regional president offered a first time to pay a subsidy of one million euros to the City of Lyon. “As it has done for a dozen municipalities,” it says. The offer is specific: the money must be used only for the purchase of video protection cameras.
Grégory Doucet on the same line
“When you give a grant to an association or a community, it’s for a specific purpose. It should not be assigned to other uses,” recalls the region. The problem, the mayor of Lyon is fiercely opposed to the installation of new cameras, believing that the city is already sufficiently equipped. To date, it has 571 fixed cameras, or “one camera for 916 inhabitants”. A device supplemented by “nomadic cameras” whose number has doubled since the beginning of the mandate. Five million euros have been committed to improving the quality of video equipment, recalls the city, which commissioned an audit to assess the areas in which the cameras, which are underused, could be redeployed.
Grégory Doucet therefore “remained on the same line”, initially refusing this proposal. Last March, Laurent Wauquiez repeated his offer. On September 9, the mayor of Lyon indicates in a letter “willingly accept” the sum presented but he suggests “arrowing” it differently, while remaining in the field of public tranquility. He proposes that the money be used to buy “anti-vehicle-ram barriers”, a van to transport “the road education track” from which the municipal police carry out awareness-raising actions in schools as well as “walkie-talkies” for event organizers, and “jackets” for event supervisors, or radars.
“At first I thought it was a joke”
Another suggestion made by Grégory Doucet: that part of the million euros be invested in support for social mediation. Finally, he claims to be able to buy more “inclusive public toilets” to rebalance “the use of public spaces between women and men”. A final proposal perceived as a provocation in the ranks of the region.
“On receiving this letter from the mayor of Lyon, I first thought it was a joke, confides Laurent Wauquiez. When we approach the subject of security and we are told about inclusive toilets, it is because we have not understood the problem and what the people of Lyon are going through. “The regional president is not angry, criticizing the passage” the lightness “of Grégory Doucet. “The seriousness of the situation requires rapid and concrete action to stem the rise in crime, such as the strengthening of video surveillance systems and the equipment of the municipal police. This is what the aid offered by the region is intended for, and not to finance ideological gadgets,” he insists.
“To believe that road safety should not be a priority”
He therefore refused to accede to the requests of the mayor of Lyon. “The offer still stands but only if the money is used to buy CCTV equipment”, indicates the region to 20 minutes. But on the side of the town hall, there is no question of complying with the demands of Laurent Wauquiez. Accustomed to his “elements of language”, the municipal team wants to keep the same course, addressing him a final tackle: “If we listen to Laurent Wauquiez, attacks and road safety should not be a priority for the city . “Inclusive toilets, either…