On the central square of Clermont-Ferrand, wave-shaped peaks adorn the window sills of a bar. In the city center of Marseille, dozens of flowered cactus containers have been placed under the porch of a hotel residence. These measures have a common objective: to prevent, deliberately or not, people on the street from resting or sheltering. Above all, they are all nominated for the Pics d'Or, a satirical ceremony organized by the Abbé-Pierre Foundation on Monday November 18, which “rewards” the worst anti-Homeless measures.
The measures are classified into several categories: “Move out of there!” » for the price of the anti-precarious decree, “Sang scruples” for the most uninhibited device or even “The imposter” for the most contradictory. For the third edition, the public is invited to participate in order to elect the worst anti-homeless device in all categories. On stage, the awards are awarded by comedians like Guillaume Meurice or Blanche Gardin. “We have two ways of approaching things: either we cry about it or we laugh about it,” says Christian Page, formerly homeless and member of the jury.
“Hundreds” of devices in France
Humor to denounce the absurdity: this is the bias of the organizers, who are worried about the evolution of the number of measures taken against the homeless. “We have the impression that these devices have multiplied over the past ten years, notes Manuel Domergue, director of studies at the Abbé-Pierre Foundation. This increase in measures can also be explained by the evolution of the number of homeless people in France. » According to INSEE, there were more than 140,000 in 2012 compared to 330,000 in 2023, according to figures updated by the Abbé-Pierre Foundation.
The increase in the number of devices has pushed the Foundation to inventory anti-homeless devices across France. On a map published on its website, it lists several dozen of them, the majority of which are in mainland France: fences, benches separated by armrests, ramps… All-round anti-homeless furniture that Christian Page has been around for a long time.
“In reality, there are hundreds of them in Francespecifies Manuel Domergue. The objective of the ceremony is also to open the eyes of citizens to make them understand that we find them on every street corner. » Especially since anti-homeless measures are increasingly imperceptible. Rocks, empty flower pots, inclined benches or even removed from public spaces, a very effective measure according to Manuel Domergue.
Suppression d’installations anti-SDF
“If a homeless person sleeps in front of your house, you call 115, the town hall, to find a solution. But no, we put picks insteaddeplores Christian Page. This is not the right way to approach the problem. » Beyond street furniture, the Pics d’Or ceremony denounces political measures. Anti-begging orders were issued in Paris and Calais, and food distributions were banned in the capital last October. A set of devices that helps make the homeless invisible.
Since the first Golden Peaks ceremony in 2019, it is difficult to see major improvements. But the visibility of the Foundation's actions has enabled some progress. The day before the winter break, notched blades and sharp picks were installed at the entrance to a building in the 19th arrondissement of Paris after the expulsion of around twenty people. A situation “dangerous”judge Manuel Domergue. After denouncing it on social networks, Christian Page and the Abbé-Pierre Foundation are delighted with the removal of the anti-Homeless installation at the request of the town hall.
