The court has decided. This Wednesday, the Paris administrative court ordered the Paris City Hall to permanently remove from the facade of the City Hall banners in support of the movement against the pension reform, because of a “serious doubt” about their legality under the principle of neutrality of public services.
In an interim judgment, the court ruled in favor of the right-wing opposition which had assigned the City to obtain the removal of two banners on which one could read: “Town hall in solidarity with the social movement”.
A “serious doubt” about the legality
“The principle of neutrality of public services is opposed to the affixing to public buildings of signs symbolizing the claim of political, religious or philosophical opinions”, recalls the judge in chambers, who reports a “misunderstanding of this principle” resulting in “serious doubt” about the legality of the decision of the mayor, Anne Hidalgo.
He therefore orders the suspension of the execution of the decision and orders the city to remove the banners within 24 hours. “The suspension of the execution of this decision necessarily implies that this banner be permanently removed,” he continues.
The town hall takes note
The town hall indicated that it took note of the decision in summary proceedings, while stressing that the opposition of the mayor of Paris to the reform “remained unchanged”. “Displayed in support of the social movement during the days of mobilization, the banners had remained in place since the decision of the Constitutional Council in view of Workers’ Day, May 1. They were removed this (Wednesday) morning, “said the same source.
Questioned by AFP, Paris adviser Aurélien Véron (Changer Paris group), at the origin of the request, welcomes a judicial decision which “settles a question which was open”.
“The Hôtel de Ville must remain the home of all Parisians, in true neutrality, it does not belong to Anne Hidalgo. No politics, no religion, no philosophy, it’s absolute neutrality so that it remains everyone’s Town Hall, ”he added.