The magic of Christmas was not really there on December 25 for Sebti Bouadjadja’s family and their Airbnb host in Annecy. This inhabitant of Mulhouse dreamed of three quiet nights in the charming Haute-Savoie town… but nothing went as planned.
“We were clearly a victim of xenophobia”, he accuses about this apartment rental which came to an end. The site visit had barely started when the owner simply canceled the reservation. “She said to me ‘I don’t feel you, I don’t rent anymore’. I didn’t even know that we could do that, ”explains the Alsatian, before giving his version of the facts.
“I felt assaulted, not respected”
“As soon as the lady arrived, I found that she was looking at me strangely, as if she was seeing a monster!” Then she showed us the local trash can and there, I asked cordially if we could first install my mother, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, upstairs. She sighed and that’s when she made that decision. It is clearly racism. “
A course that the host disputes. She also joined by 20 minutes, C. points to “aggressive” behavior on the part of the Haut-Rhin entrepreneur. “He raised his voice […] I felt assaulted, disrespected. What would become of respect for my apartment with such an attitude? She asks herself in a letter she sent to Airbnb. “In this context of verbal abuse, I decided to break the contract. “
It was from that moment that relations would have degenerated between the two parties. “I was entitled to a bag of insults spilled”, laments the renter. Sebti Bouadjadja does not deny it. He filmed C. and posted videos on social media. We can see his “host” on the phone while he vehemently accuses him of discrimination. “I admit, I made these videos public out of anger,” he agrees, he who has since contacted his lawyer.
Justice seized
The two also seized the public prosecutor of Annecy. “It may take a long time, but I want this lady to have at least one reminder of the law.” Not necessarily that she does prison or that she pays me money, I do not want it “, insists the father who assures to have heard his host say” Missing more than I rent to the Talibans ” . “She mumbled it, I’m sure. “
Again, the owner disputes. “I thought I was going to pass out when I heard he was accusing me of saying that. I don’t care about race or religion. I just demand respect “, insists the Annécienne, who is also preparing to file a complaint, in particular for” incitement to hatred “.
C. assures him, for two weeks, his life “has become hell”. “He flooded social networks with pictures of me, my contact details. I have been harassed day and night, I still receive anonymous calls. I have been the victim of torrents of hate, all without proof. “
His account on the American platform has also been suspended. Airbnb affirms in a letter sent to Sebti Bouadjadja that 20 minutes was able to consult. “Based on the evidence provided, we have determined that the reported issue violates AirBnb’s Non-Discrimination Policy. We contacted C. to inform him of the violation found. All of its announcements as well as its ability to make a reservation on AirBnb have been suspended. C. will now have to reaffirm its commitment to respect our Non-Discrimination Policy so that its ad is reactivated and remains on the platform. “
To believe C., this suspension would no longer be short today. “But I hesitate to re-register. I had hundreds of positive comments so far. I had never experienced that, ”she explains again, without having any regrets about her refusal that evening. “In retrospect, you had to have guts to act like that. I wanted to protect myself and protect my property. “