Barely two days after the incidents on the sidelines of the match between Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais, two Marseille supporters were tried in immediate appearance this Tuesday at the Marseille criminal court. They are both suspected of having attacked the buses of Olympique Lyonnais supporters on Sunday evening, but not that of the staff and players, who were also attacked on their arrival near the Vélodrome. The injury to OL coach Fabio Grosso and his assistant, caused by glass bottles being thrown, led to the match being postponed and caused a lot of ink to flow, as recalled by the OL prosecutor. la République, Océane Fernandez: “We’ve all heard about this match between OM and OL. Of this violence between supporters of each camp.”
This is also one of the reasons for the requests for dismissal from Maître Sandrine Prosperi, the lawyer of Thomas S., 22 years old, and of Maître François Défendini, that of Patrice G., 50 years old, in a “concern for ‘calming down of things’. Which did not prevent them from being able to provide some details on the unfolding of the facts within the framework of the debate on whether or not to continue in pre-trial detention.
Temporary detention because of a hood
Thomas S, a subscriber to the north turn, admitted during his hearing to having thrown a stone towards the bus of Lyon supporters, with his face hidden, as he passed along Boulevard Romain Rolland. “Serious facts, which he will recognize during the trial”, warned Master Prosperi, while wishing to recontextualize the unfolding of the facts to avoid “any confusion”: “We see on the surveillance video which lasts two minutes, Thomas, approach the fence and throw a projectile at the right front of the bus. It neither affected the bus nor the supporters since all the damage was committed on the left side. OL supporters had just provoked him with racist gestures and insulting remarks, before throwing a stone at his left foot. He picked it up and threw it towards the bus, before being arrested. »
But for the prosecutor, “these are not trivial facts, there was real violence”, before estimating that “Thomas S. was not there by chance since he was hooded and arrived in the company of ‘around fifty supporters’. Enough to require continued pre-trial detention to “avoid further acts of degradation and violence” during future OM matches. What the Marseille criminal court followed by keeping Thomas in detention until his trial on November 23. A staggering decision for his lawyer who recalled his perfect integration into society, he who has been a permanent warehouse worker for more than two years in a company in Vitrolles, while still living with his parents. “They wanted to make an example of him,” she lamented at the end of the hearing.
A judicial review for “a smoke bomb returned to sender”
Patrice G. 50 years old, is no longer a member of the Fanatics, this group from the North Bend to which he was a long-time subscriber. This father, a permanent executive “for twenty-three years and one month”, also admitted to having thrown a smoke bomb in the direction of a supporter bus, while “regretting this gesture enormously”. “Mr G. was heading towards the stadium when a bus of Lyon supporters passed by. It was already damaged, with the window broken. And what is established by the statement of the police officer who arrested him and the commissioner on site is that a smoke bomb was sent by the Lyon supporters. And my client’s fault was to return it to the sender rather than kicking it,” confided his lawyer, Maître Défendini.
Unlike Thomas S., Patrice did not have his face hidden and seemed to act alone. A big difference for the public prosecutor who requested placement under judicial supervision. What she obtained since the court placed Patrice G. under judicial supervision with a ban on coming near the Vélodrome stadium and Boulevard Michelet, while having to report to the gendarmerie during each OM match, in the awaiting his trial on January 23, 2024. He was able to come out free and kiss the few supporters who came to support him. A chance that Thomas S did not have, who will sleep for the next 23 days in Baumettes prison.