The public nature of the comments made at a meeting by the former president of the Pointe Rouge Yachting club in Marseille was finally retained. The criminal court thus sentenced him this Friday morning to a fine of 10,000 euros for public racial insult and public provocation to hatred or racial violence.
The Marseille Criminal Court condemned Christian Tommasini “given the incitement to arm themselves in view of a ” ratonnade ” and the contemptuous terms used against people because of their Maghrebian origin”.
The prosecution had requested three months’ suspended imprisonment and a 3,000 euros fine against Mr. Tommasini who was at the material time president of the Pointe-Rouge Yachting club.
The objection of nullity raised by the council of Mr. Tommasini, which disputed the public character of the remarks made, was rejected by the court which considered that the meetings of the port council “are not open to the public but the remarks made in its bosom have a public character ”.
Mr Tommasini will also have to compensate, for non-pecuniary damage, several associations which had brought civil proceedings, including Licra or SOS Racisme, up to 1,000 euros. The Human Rights League also obtained a symbolic euro in compensation.
Meeting under the aegis of the metropolis
On February 22, Christian Tommasini, volunteer president of the Pointe Rouge Yachting club, south of Marseille, attended a meeting on the problems encountered in this port, which he was responsible for managing. This meeting is being held under the aegis of the Aix-Marseille Provence metropolis, in the presence in particular of the LR vice-president of the metropolis Didier Réault and the deputy mayor Sophie Roques.
Referring to the problem of incivility at the Pointe Rouge marina, Christian Tommasini makes racist and vehement remarks towards the “Arabs” present near the site. “The day when we have to arm ourselves, I’ll be the first to go ratonnade!” “, He launches as well. During this same meeting, Christian Tommasini also complains to see according to him, in the parking lot of the port, “not a blond, a white, one who is well as it should be” but, on the contrary, “only Arabs! “.
SOS Racisme, in particular, had decided to file a complaint.