A A hundred people gathered at the arts theater this Friday in the early evening in downtown Rouen (Seine-Maritime) against racism and xenophobia.
This mobilization followed the announcement of the organization of a xenophobic evening in a bar in Rouen for this Friday evening. At the end of last week, the mayor of Rouen, Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol, publicly denounced the organization of this evening on the social network entitled “Ausländer Raus” which means “Foreigners outside”, in German. The elected official had written to the Rouen public prosecutor.
This Thursday, the mayor had taken an order to ban this evening. The organizers had appealed to the Rouen administrative court, which ruled in their favor this Friday. But the evening was still canceled by the organizers. All these facts are to be read in detail. ici et ici.
It was in this context that a call for anti-racist mobilization was launched for a gathering at the Théâtre des Arts metro station.
“A “foreigners outside” evening has no place in France. What we would like to see outside are not foreigners but people who discriminate and denigrate just because of an origin or religion.” pleads Aïz who affirms that “lots of people felt insulted and outraged” by the title of this evening.
Benedicte Robin
The worry of uninhibited hateful speech
Balou for his part says he is very worried to see a word “uninhibited to express oneself” and wishes, by his presence to show, that other values must be heard. “The Republican values of welcome and tolerance“.
“We are sliding towards a lack of global humanism” adds Pierre-Alexandre. This is also what worries Noah and Alix who want to convey positive messages. “Show that Rouen is a multicultural, open city. This must not change” conclude the young people in their twenties.
Even if this kind of gathering does good to some who feel “less alone and worn“, Martin would like not to have to do this type of mobilization. Because it shows “that we are in a critical situation” laments the young man.
