Thursday, December 19, a rally was organized in front of the Maison de la vie associative d’Arles (MDVA), in support of the Human Rights League which was recently excluded. The demonstrators tried to continue the debates during the municipal council.
“ A little over a year ago, we were at the Maison de la vie associative d’Arles (MDVA) and we presented our wishes with other associations. We looked back on our activities of the past year and announced our future actions“, remembers Marguerite Pozzoli, the president of the Human Rights League (LDH) of Arles, Thursday December 19 shortly after 4:30 p.m. A support rally was organized in front of the MDVA following the exclusion of the LDH announced last week.”We never imagined that a year later we would be here to tell you about this eviction from a house that was in some way ours. And for reasons which mainly relate to the fact that the screening of a film which spoke about what is happening in Béziers was refused and that our legal action was not considered as a normal recourse but as something which had to be punished.”
Speeches took place in front of the MDVA. • Louise Gal
Many people were present to denounce a decision.not only incomprehensible, but which constitutes an attack on freedom of association“, she indicated, reading a text signed by more than 30 Arlesian and regional associations and collectives. “The exclusion of a public service from community life is a worrying sign of a decline in the democratic life of our country. We will do everything we can to overturn this decision.” Claudine Pellé, actress, author and director at the Compagnie de l’ambre, alerted to a “censorship which portends other anti-democratic acts“. “This expulsion is an outrage against freedom of expression“, she continued, wondering “whose turn is it?“.
Many people were present to support the LDH. • Louise Gal
After recalling the support of the local CGT union in Arles for the LDH, Nicolas Bourcy, the general secretary, for his part underlined that the section made the link with “the attack made against its subsidy and against its premises in the Labor Exchange”. The same to continue: “A bad wind for social democracy is blowing over the city of Arles where the municipality and its satellites are attacking progressive organizations, unions, associations, seeking to weaken them and make them invisible by depriving them of their means.” As the speeches continued, Patrick de Carolis, who went to the municipal council – which was held at 5 p.m. in the village hall -, was loudly booed.
The demonstration continues at the municipal council
Those present then attempted to continue discussions in the council room. “My golden rule is to never intervene in associations and in the editorial lines of associations.“, indicated Patrick de Carolis, before closing the discussions and launching the municipal council. It was in a tense climate that the session began, while the mayor initiated discussions on the cyclone in Mayotte. “The agenda of a municipal council is established by the mayor. Any question not directly related to this agenda will be referred to the end of the council for miscellaneous questions. he warned. Cyril Girard, however, attempted an intervention, emphasizing “that this is not the first time that a current issue has arisen in the municipal council, and the previous times you had not postponed the discussion until the end of the session.“Intervention cut off by Patrick de Carolis, loudly booed and whistled by those present in the room.”Freedom of expression!“, “denial of democracy!” could we hear. After calling for silence, the mayor finally suspended the session twice, before the supporters of the LDH finally left. “When the people are there, we talk to them, we don’t tell them to leave“, they castigated.
It was finally after 62 deliberations and more than 6 hours of debate that the question of the LDH could be raised during the various questions. “It is your responsibility to preserve this associative fabric, so that it is alive, diverse, free. The MDVA receives the majority of its grant from the city, so you have a role to play in this decision“, estimated Nicolas Koukas. “ The board of directors is sovereign. If there is a dispute there are legal remedies available. As there is one, I cannot intervene. The judge would have to request mediation. If there is one, we’ll see who leads it. But as long as there is this recourse, there cannot be mediation“, considered the mayor. “Before it was too early, now it’s too late“, regretted with irony Cyril Girard, who believes that the president of the MDVA “rolls out the red carpet at the RN at the same time as she fires the LDH.“
