The announcement of an evening “Let them return to Africa” at the identity bar La Citadelle, in Lille, made almost as much noise as the original event which earned the RN deputy, Grégoire de Fournas, his temporary exclusion. of the National Assembly. In a few hours, the mayor of Lille, LFI deputies, eco-friendly officials and the Minister of the Interior himself stepped up to the plate, demanding the banning of this racist event. An unexpected publicity stunt for the “patriotic bar” which multiplies the calls for donations so as not to lower the curtain?
Since the opening of the identity bar La Citadelle, in 2015, the mayor of Lille, Martine Aubry, has constantly asked the authorities to close it. “Once again Generation Identity and the La Citadelle bar are organizing a racist evening,” she lamented on Twitter on Thursday. And many others rose up after her. It must be said that the association, led by Aurélien Verhassel, ex-executive of the now dissolved Identity Generation group, fully assumes the subject of this controversial evening. The event, which is to be held on February 24, is organized in “honor of deputy Grégoire de Fournas. Who dared to proclaim loud and clear to the National Assembly: “Let them return to Africa!”. “Words that the author himself tried to put into perspective after a wave of indignation that went far beyond the walls of the hemicycle.
On what basis to prohibit this evening?
“I hope that it is still possible in France in 2023 to drink wine and eat sausage in a private place,” says Aurélien Verhassel. A simple aperitif, then? This would hide the political side of the event which is nevertheless claimed. And it is for this reason that the Minister of the Interior asked the prefect to take action. Which, at the time of this writing, is still only in the planning stage. Because, according to a lawyer interviewed by 20 minuteson what legal basis will the representative of the State rely to prohibit this evening?
In the absence of a published prefectural decree, one can only assume the arguments that the prefect will develop. This same lawyer therefore imagines that the ban on this evening will be taken to “prevent possible disturbances to public order”. But, whatever the reason given by the authorities, the boss of La Citadelle warned that this would be the subject of legal action. He added that he would file a “complaint against the prefect Leclerc for defamation”.
And La Citadelle to invite, on its website, its supporters to sign a petition and to “make a donation” to “pay its lawyers”. Because within this association, the finances are a bit strained, the premises having even been threatened with closure at the beginning of last year, for lack of money to pay the rent. Should we see in the organization of this evening a publicity stunt to try to bail out the coffers?