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François-Xavier Lauch, currently prefect of Hérault, was summoned to appear this Thursday before the Albi criminal court by LFI deputy Karen Erodi and three activists. The latter criticize him for a “deliberately late” ban on demonstrations, taken in September 2023 during the trial of three members of the small group Patria Albiges. The court's decision will be rendered on November 21.
The former prefect of Tarn François-Xavier Lauch, now stationed in Hérault, was not present this Thursday at the Albi judicial court for the criminal trial between him and the deputy for the 2nd district du Tarn Karen Erodi (LFI) and three left-wing activists: Armand Gobat, former LFI candidate for mayor of Pampelonne, Michel Massol of the CGT Retraités and Christine Martin.
A first hearing took place last February to set the amount of the deposit (€1,000) to be paid by the plaintiffs. The latter summoned François-Xavier Lauch to appear because they believe that in September 2023, the former prefect of Tarn deliberately waited until the last moment to issue an order prohibiting demonstrations, preventing them from filing an appeal for summary proceedings. -freed before the administrative court of Toulouse. They therefore accuse him of having “taken a measure against the execution of the law”, as a depositary of public authority acting within the framework of his functions.
Demonstration against Patria Albiges
This demonstration demanding “the dissolution of the Patria Albiges group”, which was to take place in front of the Albi courthouse, was announced on September 21, 2023 on social networks, five days before the expected trial of three activists from the small group of extreme right. The same evening, the organizers declared the demonstration at the prefecture.
Following discussions between François-Xavier Lauch's team and the organizers, the banning order was notified to them on September 25 around 5 p.m., the day before the event. The appeal for interim relief was only examined by the Toulouse administrative court on September 26, several hours after the planned start of the demonstration, and was therefore rejected. “Why did the prefect wait so long?” asked Me Peru, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, at the hearing.
Relaxation required by the floor
The Albi prosecutor Stéphanie Bazart requested the release of François-Xavier Lauch, explaining that the offense, to be constituted, requires the performance of a “positive act” on the part of its author, which is not the case in this case.
In defense of the senior official, Me Holleaux for his part detailed the investigation procedure carried out by the services of the Tarn prefecture when they received the declaration of the demonstration, recalling in particular the security context of the moment. Frontally attacking the LFI MP, whom he accuses of “putting himself forward” in this affair, the lawyer pleaded for the release of François-Xavier Lauch and requested the conviction of the plaintiffs for improper constitution of civil party, demanding from them 3000 € damages.
The court postponed its decision to November 21.
