In Saint-Denis, the political battle around youth areas ends with a criminal fire

“Amazing”, “unjustifiable”. Two days later The criminal fire of 110Cooperative socio-cultural center in Saint-Denis, the words of mayor Mathieu Hanotin (PS) are not strong enough to qualify the event. On April 7, the municipal majority announced the Grouping of youth spaces of the city center in this municipal building. Five days later, the place was sprinkled with petrol and burnt down. For the municipality, part of the managers are found: Insoumis activists and elected officials who have strongly attack The project all week. “I do not imagine that they are accomplices and co -author of the fire, but I point out their political responsibility. They have continued to stir up, ”denounces the councilor with Paris news Monday April 14, 2025.

“Open the field of possibilities”

If Saint-Denis is used to the games between majority and opposition, the project to close youth spaces took an exceptional magnitude within a year in the municipal elections in a few days. “Nothing explains that it ends with a fire. I am not trying to find causes when the facts are unjustifiable, ”continues Mathieu Hanotin.

He claims that “the threats and visuals on which there are flames and calls for resistance” have created “a field of possibilities”. Bally Bagayoko, former assistant, is named by name. “He has largely gathered all week. He appropriates the speech of teens, ”denounces Katy Bonnink, first assistant.

On social networks, the rebellious activist and a former town hall candidate has multiplied The projections against the project raising the spear of mobilization. “The incendiaries felt covered by the ambient speech”, points out Mathieu Hanotin before adding: “The second fault of the rebellious elected officials was to obscure the obvious criminal dimension once the fire has passed”.

“Slander”

Of the defamation For the rebellious deputy Éric Coquerel. “You go as far as slander by insinuating that we would have a responsibility in the fire of 110 since you accuse us of justifying it. Your attack is even contemptuous for young people and unions who dispute your measures since you suggest that they would be instrumentalized, “he replied on social networks before continuing:” I did not condemn because at the time of this post I did not know the origin of the fire. If it is criminal it is obvious that I firmly condemn him ”.

Monday, April 14, in the morning, the rebellious section of Saint-Denis also “firmly condemned this act and called for justice to do its job” in a statement published on social networks.

A hot file

The 110 was to welcome the activities of the Youth Centers in September 2025 Peri, geyter and confluence. The municipality believes that the current network is not suitable. “There are a hundred registered on the three sites for a population of 3,000 adolescents on the perimeter. There is also a whole educational project to rethink, ”explains Katy Bonnink. The subject is so tense that four directors have succeeded this service for four years. Some threw in the towel only after a few weeks.

The elected official denounces a system with officials “who are blackmail, harassment of a sexual nature, assaults”. A complaint is under criminal investigation. As for the projects that were carried, “they only enjoyed a handful and always the same”. But for rebellious France, the project defended by the municipality “in no way responds to the expectations of this youth, which, more than ever, needs proximity as well as a secure and suitable environment to flourish”.

The peri space, located in proximity to a deal point, was closed this Monday as a conservatory in view of the “climate of violence”. “It was useful for traffickers who took advantage of the place to hide. At this stage, about the fire, we do not exclude a connection with the drug trafficking, ”says Mathieu Hanotin. For the time being, the investigation is still in progress. As for the activities that were planned for the cooperative, they should continue to continue “out of the walls”, while waiting for the rehabilitation of the building with the reception of a centralized youth area.

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