The affair caused a lot of noise, to the point of going beyond the borders of the peaceful seaside resort of La Seyne-sur-Mer, in the Var, to appear in the tweets of party leaders in Paris. This Friday, four men appear before the Toulon court for the attack on an elected environmentalist on the sidelines of an event organized by local activists from the far-right Reconquête! 20 minutes takes stock of this affair which quickly became media and political.
What are the facts ?
On June 11, 2023, Var activists from Reconquest! are organizing a “patriotic banquet” in a room rented at the Hacienda campsite, in Seyne-sur-Mer, in the Var. In front, EELV and CGT activists are protesting against the holding of such an event, and among them, an elected environmentalist from Seyne-sur-Mer, Hakim Bouaksa. An altercation followed which led Hakim Bouaksa to file a complaint, presenting a total incapacity for work (ITT) of 30 days, or “serious injuries” in the words of Toulon public prosecutor Samuel Finielz.
At the end, the prosecution opened “a blatant investigation for aggravated violence”, entrusted to the Seyne-sur-Mer police station. In a press release, Europe Ecologie Les Verts (EELV) explains that Hakim Bouaksa had come to demonstrate “peacefully” against the holding of a gathering of Var activists from the far-right party, in a campsite, and that he was “violently attacked”, suffering, among other things, a broken arm, head trauma and a sprained neck. Marine Tondelier, the leader of the environmentalist party, affirms on Twitter that he was “struck by the Reconquest security service” and demands “an apology” from Éric Zemmour’s party.
Who are the defendants?
Four people appear before the Toulon criminal court this Tuesday. There we find the owner of the campsite, his son, his nephew and the grocer of the structure for willful violence aggravated because committed in a meeting. According to their lawyer, the son and nephew are “neither activists nor sympathizers” of Reconquest! “There is no political nature in this issue,” proclaims Mr. Frédéric Frenzel. It would have been EELV or whatever, it would have been the same. » The version given by the defense differs from that made by Hakim Bouaksa. “My client, who is the youngest son in the family, has a small electric bike and scooter rental company at the entrance to the campsite, which adjoins a nature amusement park for children,” reports Me Frédéric Frenzel. His cousin had come to visit him at the campsite. And the videos speak for themselves. There was real incitement to violence on the part of Mr. Bouaksa and his acolytes. Mr. Bouaksa came to the confrontation by physically approaching the father of my clients who intervened, and there was an exchange of punches. » An altercation which comes at the end, according to the lawyer, “of 45 minutes where my clients were exasperated by demonstrators who treated them as fascists, Lepenists and Nazis. »
“For my part, I will plead for release,” indicates the grocer’s lawyer, Me Julien Besset. My client was present at the time of this regrouping but in no way struck any blows. He just tried to distance the protagonists.” The lawyer also emphasizes that this grocer, never convicted, “has no link with the Reconquest political party! “. The campsite owner’s lawyer did not wish to speak before the hearing. These defendants face up to five years in prison.
What does the victim say?
At the dawn of this hearing, Hakim Bouaksa’s lawyer affirms that his client is filled with “determination” in the face of “such violence which is intolerable towards people who were demonstrating peacefully”. Me Tewfik Bouzenoune mentions in particular “numerous abrasions, kicks received to the head and body, an arm immobilized for several weeks, cervical problems. » “It is also possible that I request a referral for expert opinions,” confides the lawyer.
According to him, the attitude of the four defendants contrasts with that of the municipal councilor. “My client did not commit any violence,” insists Mr. Tewfik Bouzenoune. He was an opponent who opposed. He was in his role. And he doesn’t understand how he could have ended up with such after-effects, a victim of gratuitous violence. » And to emphasize: “My client was the victim of virulent violence while he was on the ground, curled up in a ball. Why him ? The debates will make it possible to determine this. This is the answer we are waiting for. It’s him we’re focusing on. For what ? There were many, many people at this gathering. He wasn’t the most virulent. It’s as if he took for others. »
On the other hand, his client would have associated the defendants with relatives of the Reconquest party! by “reflex”. “When you are attacked in connection with an event, you first think that those who hit you are those who ensure the security of the event,” says the lawyer. And to say: “It is intolerable that an elected official can be the subject of violence and there is a real reflection to be carried out on the protection of the elected official. »