Emotions run high in Châteauroux, after the death of young Matisse, 15 years old, killed by several stab wounds this Saturday, April 27 in the Saint-Denis district. His father, Christophe Marchais, owner of the Jeu 2 Goûts restaurant, called on Facebook to change his profile photo to include an image of an otter; a nod to his son whom he nicknamed “my otter”. As a sign of support, traders in the town center of Châteauroux also displayed photos of otters in their windows.
“It’s not much, but it’s still important: to show that we’re here”
The idea of these photos of otters, to be displayed in the windows, came from two traders. Karine Autissier, who runs a jewelry store in the city center, and Nicolas Pernot, owner of the bar Sans chichi. To distribute the photos to her fellow traders, Carine can count on the help of Valérie: “It’s not much, but it’s a little support all the same, and that’s the most important thing: to show that we’re there“.
Valérie came with her daughter, like many Castelroussins she is particularly touched by the death of Matisse: “We are mothers (…) we say to ourselves that it could have been ours What. This morning when I arrived at work it was the same, we are only women, and we gave a little advice because we all said to ourselves: it could have been ours, we could be in the place of parents”.
Manon Klein
A white march organized this Saturday
Many downtown merchants play the game, and display images of otters. Régis Tellier, owner of the Élysée hotel, takes one of the photos. He also participates in this symbolic action. “It’s a terrible ordeal, and the little we can do won’t relieve anything, but at least we show that we are there and that we are behind them.“. Régis Tellier will not stop there, since he also plans to participate in there white march in homage to Matisseorganized this Saturday, May 4 in Châteauroux: “I never imagined, when I saw it on TV, that I would one day take part in a white march. I know that I will be there, as, in my opinion, hundreds and hundreds of people. We have to show that we are united in these moments.”.
