a tense Saturday a few hours before the launch of two opposing demonstrations

Special envoy to Romans-sur-Isère

This Saturday, November 30, the town of Romans-sur-Isère is preparing for an electric atmosphere in the afternoon. A first demonstration paying tribute to young Thomas, killed by a stab wound in a winter ball in Crépol a year ago, organized by the ultra-right collective “Justice for ours” will be held from 3 p.m. Ernest Gailly and will be static. Initially scheduled two days before the anniversary of Thomas' murder (the weekend of November 16), it had been postponed at the request of the association of victims of the Crépol ball, who had explained that neither they nor the family of Thomas did not want political recovery, according to information from Figaro. In a press release, “Justice for ours” specifies that the meeting this Saturday will pay tribute to Thomas, but also to his teammate Nicolas, who died in a shooting in a nightclub in Ardèche at the beginning of the month, as well as to “all the victims of immigration and insecurity”.

At the same time, from 2 p.m., another demonstration will be launched in the Monnaie district, where most of those indicted in Thomas' murder come from. This meeting is presented as a “counter-demonstration” to that of the ultra-right collective. The authorities fear a risk of confrontation.

The two gathering places for the opposing protests are a 30-minute walk from each other. Mobile unit numbers are therefore expected to reinforce those of the municipal and national police, specifies the Drôme prefecture. For now, Raphaël Ayma, the leader of the gathering of “Justice for our own”, is unable to say how many participants are expected this afternoon. However, he specifies that these are people who live in the region – the collective having massively towed several weeks before the demonstration – but also “of people who come from far away”.

Demonstrations initially banned

The holding of the demonstration and the counter-demonstration had initially been banned by the prefecture, fearing “significant unrest and ideological clashes in Romans-sur-Isère, Bourg-de-Péage, Crépol and Valence”. The two gatherings were finally authorized this Friday, November 29 by the administrative court of Grenoble which had been seized for interim relief by the organizers of the gatherings. According to the court, the prefect “does not allege the dissemination of calls to commit acts of violence” and did not call for changes to the rally routes.

Marie-Hélène Thoraval, mayor of Romans-sur-Isère, declared this Friday in a press release to take note of the decision of the administrative court of Grenoble to suspend the order of the prefect of Drôme. She wishes to recall her “attachment to the freedom to demonstrate” but remains “particularly concerned about the conjunction of these two demonstrations on the same day on the same territory and the resulting risks of violent clashes”. The councilor solemnly asks the State to “make every effort to supervise these demonstrations as much as possible and deploy additional resources to those initially planned, to guarantee the safety of people and property”.

Also this Friday, the prefect of Drôme indicated in a press release that he took note of the court's decision, while detailing various provisions “to ensure the safety of all”. Thus, from Saturday November 30 at 8 a.m. to Monday December 2 at 8 a.m., the following will be prohibited:

• the transport of acid and flammable, chemical or explosive products
• distribution, takeaway, purchase, possession and transport of fuels
• carrying and transporting weapons
• the purchase, sale, transport and use of fireworks.