They will be judged on January 31 by the Nanterre criminal court. Two of the seven pro-Palestinian activists placed in police custody last week, after the European Basketball Cup match, which pitted the local team of Nanterre 92 against the Israelis of Hapoel Holon, will appear in court for “ entry into a competition area of a sports venue disturbing the progress of the competition”, as well as for “violence without incapacity”, according to the Nanterre public prosecutor's office. Violence committed, for one, on a police officer and for the other, “for reasons of religion”.
Pending their trial, these two men, aged 21 and 31, of French nationality for one, and Belgian for the other, were placed under judicial supervision, with “ban on going to a sports venue , to leave the territory and obligation to check in and surrender the passport,” added the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office this Tuesday. The five other activists arrested were presented to a delegate of the prosecutor as part of a dismissal.
On Wednesday, December 18, several people entered the floor of the Maurice-Thorez sports center waving Palestinian flags during this match classified as sensitive by the authorities. After this intrusion which caused an interruption of the match for several minutes, they quickly returned to the stands where, according to images filmed by several spectators, they were attacked by supporters of the Israeli team.
This start of the scuffle led to the intervention of the CRS present to secure the meeting, which ended with the victory of Nanterre (87-77). The presence of the public was maintained despite fears of “disturbing public order” from the city of Nanterre, which had issued a municipal decree for the meeting to take place behind closed doors. A ruling contested by the Hauts-de-Seine prefecture and finally overturned by the administrative court of Cergy (Val-d'Oise).
