Deemed “racist and sexist” by an association, the Biarritz district denies the attack on human dignity, affirmed the public rapporteur before the administrative court of appeal of Bordeaux, which will deliver its decision on February 6.
The legal battle continues. The city of Biarritz could soon be forced to rename its district “The Negress“, judge “racist and sexist” by an association. The public rapporteur recommended Thursday to abolish a court decision which denied the attack on human dignity. “Semantic evolution” of the word today gives it a «connotation insultante» Who “may harm human dignity”affirmed the public rapporteur before the administrative court of appeal of Bordeaux, which will render its decision on February 6.
On December 21, 2023, the administrative court of Pau rejected the request of Mémoires et Partages, seeing it as a “memorial perspective in homage” to this woman who would have served in a local inn at the beginning of the 19th century. In 2020, the Bordeaux association asked the mayor of Biarritz, Maider Arosteguy (LR), to introduce on the agenda of the municipal council the repeal of two deliberations, those fixing the name “The Negress” for a district close to the station, in 1861, and a second introducing a new “rue de la Négresse” in 1986.
“A mistake”
The town hall of Biarritz has “made a mistake” by refusing this request, estimated the public rapporteur, recommending the annulment of the decision of the administrative court of Pau. Speaking in front of around ten activists who came to support this initiative, the director and founder of the complainant association Karfa Diallo spoke “rejoiced” recommendations from the public rapporteur, saying he wants to work “in partnership” with the city of Biarritz “because the goal is not to constrain but to convince”.
-“A court decision in favor of repeal would make it possible to come out on top and show that in our country there is vigilance over any caricatured name or representation of a human being”said Mr. Diallo. To draw attention to Thursday's hearing, his association offered for sale, on a real estate site, the mansion housing the Bordeaux administrative court of appeal.
The Nairac Hotel was “built in 1777 (…) by the Bordeaux family who deported the most Africans to America”underlined Mémoires et Partages in a press release. The administrative court of appeal took care to specify in a press release “that this ad is fake” and that the premises “are not for sale”.
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