“The tension is still as high”, relates the mayor of Romans-sur-Isère, a year after the death of Thomas in Crépol

The 16-year-old teenager was stabbed at the end of a village ball in the small Drôme village. “It’s something that is on people’s minds every day,” says Marie-Hélène Thoraval.

“The tension is still as high as ever, the wounds are fully open,” judged Saturday November 16 on franceinfo the LR mayor of Romans-sur-Isère Marie-Hélène Thoraval, almost a year after the death of young Thomas in Crépol (Drôme). In November 2023, Thomas, a 16-year-old teenager, was stabbed at the end of a village ball in the small Drôme village. “It’s something that’s on people’s minds every day, it’s a weight that’s there”she added. Especially since this “tension” has been “revived with the murder of Nicolas”, said the councilor. Aged 22, a member of the same rugby club as Thomas and originally from Romans-sur-Isère, he was shot dead in front of a nightclub at the beginning of November.

The ultra-right collective “Justice for Ours” announced the holding of a rally in tribute to young Thomas on November 30 in Romans-sur-Isère. “I am in close contact with the Prefect on this subject and the arrangements are being studied on a day-to-day basis and decisions will be taken” regarding a possible ban on this gathering, underlined Marie-Hélène Thoraval. For their part, Maîtres Élise Rey-Jacquot and Bilel Hakkar, the lawyers of several of those involved in the Thomas murder case, filed a complaint this week with the public prosecutor of Valencia for facts likely to be qualified as “public incitement to discrimination or racial hatred” and for “discriminatory public insult”.

“These are not news items, but social factsestimated Marie-Hélène Thoraval, and when I look at the news for a year, I'm afraid that this news proves me right”. The mayor of Romans-sur-Isère assured “share” THE “same problems which are those of the national territory” with “lawless areas and an increase in violence” in his city, combined with “drug trafficking phenomenon”. “I also share the concerns of many French people when they see this rise in ultra-violence”she continued. A total of 14 people are being prosecuted for the murder of young Thomas, but the perpetrator of the fatal blow has not yet been identified. “Today, I believe that we do not have the first advance on the author of the stabbing which took Thomas’ life,” castigated the elected official.