Gathered at Place Jacqueline-de-Romilly, in the 5th arrondissement, this Thursday morning, former and current Polytechnic students are mobilized against the 30 million euro project undertaken by LVMH in the buildings of the former Polytechnic school. If their fight highlights the destruction of a protected garden within the establishment and an emblematic century-old lime tree, they denounce more broadly LVMH’s desire to penetrate the workings of public schools. To privatize, in a way, French public excellence.
“LVMH, as we can clearly see in Paris, has a desire wherever there is an empty building to buy it, to turn it into shops, offices or speculation, in a desire to take control of the public good,” denounces Emile Meunier, EELV municipal councilor at Paris town hall, and fiercely opposed to the LVMH project for months.
At his side, we find Fatoumata Koné, president of the Ecologists at the Paris council, Alexandre Moatti, former Polytechnician and senior French civil servant, who was one of the first to alert on this construction site. But also Alexandre Barrat, elected Changer Paris for the 5th arrondissement, Laurent Audouin, EELV advisor for the 5th arrondissement, and Corine Faugeron, also elected ecologist for Paris-Centre.
Challenge before the administrative court and request to the Council of Paris
Arriving running, a little late, at this gathering of around forty people, he denounces, with a lot of punchlines, what he describes as ecological nonsense in the heart of the capital. “We challenged the building permit in court, and we also submitted a wish so that the majority – Emmanuel Grégoire, deputy for Urban Planning in the lead – takes a position with us on stopping this project. Let them return to their connected lipsticks and waterproof handbags rather than razing a protected space.”
As summarized more soberly by Matthieu Lequesne, one of the members of the “Polytechnique is not for sale” collective, “we are asking for a moratorium on this 30 million euro project. Then, it will be necessary to discuss, involve the Ministry of Higher Education and Research [à qui appartient le Jardin carré] to reopen the public garden at the back.
The newly appointed boss of Polytechnique, Laura Chaubard, who was until now general director, has not yet commented on the subject. But “Polytechnique is not for sale” counts as rallying it to its cause and stopping once and for all any partnership or contract with LVMH.