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Emilien Vicens
Published on
Dec 18 2024 at 4:36 p.m.
; updated Dec 18 2024 at 4:49 p.m.
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This is a new episode in the long series which concerns the Christmas nativity scene in Perpignan. Installed for many years, by the municipality, in the patio of the town hall, the famous Catalan pessebre had been declared contrary to the principle of secularism of institutions, by the courts, two years ago.
This Wednesday, December 18, the administrative court of Montpellier, seized by the Human Rights League, this time rejected the latter’s request, and ruled in favor of the City of Perpignan. The Christmas nativity scene is indeed authorized, for the moment.
The authorized Perpignan Christmas nativity scene
As a reminder, in 2022, sixteen groups won their case in court, after demanding the removal of the crèche installed on the square in front of the town hall. “Our crèche is there and will stay there! “, assured the mayor (RN) of Perpignan Louis Aliot, who, despite the court decision, had chosen to pay a fine rather than remove the figurines.
In 2023, the Perpignan councilor offered himself a sleight of hand, by installing the Christmas nativity scene in a small chalet adjoining the town hall, but officially in public space, and outside the walls of the community. Visitors nevertheless had to enter through the porch of the town hall to admire it.
Attacked again, the City of Perpignan had this time obtained the favors of justice: the Catalan pessebre was indeed authorized in this configuration. A year later, a similar decision has just been rendered by the Montpellier administrative court, following yet another legal battle.
A new decision in February
Important precision. This Wednesday, December 18, the judge in summary proceedings ruled that the decision to install the Christmas nativity scene by the city of Perpignan could not be suspended because the condition of harm to the public interest, in an urgent and sufficiently serious manner, was not established.
On the other hand, “the appeals on the merits will be examined by the court in February 2025”, specifies the justice, which did not rule today on the question of the legality of the Christmas nativity scene in Perpignan.
42,000 visitors last year
Last winter, the Christmas nativity scene attracted no less than 42,000 visitors, indicated the City of Perpignan. The traditional pessebre was notably an obligatory passage for the Spanish and Southern Catalanswho came in large numbers during the Purissima celebrations in early December.
“Once again, the City has had to defend our traditions, our values and our identity. It is therefore with conviction and serenity that we defended our Pessebre, which is part of the history of Perpignan and which thousands of people are delighted to discover each year,” reacts the town hall in a press release.
“The Municipality obviously welcomes this decision, because it dismisses the claims of those whose sole objective is to impose their thoughts and prevent the expression of our history, nos traditions et nos cultures on the sole pretext that they consider them illegitimate,” continues the City of Perpignan.
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