Rue d’Assas this Wednesday, March 3, “at the gates” of the administrative court of Dijon, the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône who came to defend his decree for the authorization of the funfair was entitled to an important reception committee and Support. “We must offer breathing space to our population,” reaffirmed the local elected echoing the hearing held at the end of the morning.
It is not in the plenary session of the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté that Gilles Platret, declared candidate for the presidency, was expected this Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at the end of the morning, but at the administrative court of Dijon, as mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône having taken a decree dating from March 1 to authorize the festivities in his town at the end of this week. In a period of health crisis, the prefect of Saône-et-Loire does not hear it in this way and seized, the same day of the decree, the judicial body.
At the gates of the administrative tribunal, we can say, Gilles Platret received the support of the fairgrounds, more than 300 to have gathered in the rue d’Assas. A few minutes before the hearing, applause greeted the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône, who was preparing to go and defend the meaning of his decree with the lawyer for the city of Chalon, Maître Petit, and the lawyer of the federation of fairgrounds of France, master Ludot.
“We are able to organize this fun fair without risk”
At the end of the hearing, to which we will come back in more detail, Gilles Platret declared: “It was important for me from a legal point of view to clearly demonstrate that the mayor has the capacity to act in certain circumstances, but also that this arrested was taken after a very long work carried out with the fairgrounds ”.
By evoking the deterioration of the psychological health of the population, the mayor of Chalon-sur-Saône then reaffirmed that “the funfair contributes to psychological balance, it offers a moment of breathing, relaxation and recreation, in part. for young people broken by the circumstances of confinement. We need to provide breathing space for our people. Do we want to grab those ventilation windows? Or do we want to condemn them to remain cloistered at home after work, for those who have the right to work? I’ve heard it here and there, but do you think a mayor can put his people in danger? The fairgrounds have a protocol. The municipal police enforce barrier gestures on public roads. We are able to organize this fun fair without risk ”.
“We are full-fledged traders and not entirely apart”
During the hearing, the motive of economic freedom was also used by the defense of the city of Chalon-sur-Saône, supported by the federation of fairgrounds of France.
In the rue d’Assas alongside Gilles Platret, it is René Hayoun, president of the inter-union union of fairground companies of France, who returned to this strong approach for the profession: “It is obvious that at the Today, for the mayor of a city, taking the banner of the funfair is very complicated. The only profession in France prohibited from working is ours. We are full-fledged traders and not entirely apart. The funfair is part of the popular heritage of cities, we are part of the traditional life of France and it must recognize our profession. For that, we have to be welcomed into the public domain. Thank you, Mr. Mayor and thank you, lawyers. I hope the government will hear this cry because it is obvious that our businesses must live and that joy and light must be part of cities ”.
On behalf of the Federation of Fairgrounds of France, Nicolas Lemay corroborated these remarks, deploring that the State was only represented this Wednesday by the CRS coaches framing the rally. The prefecture was in fact not represented at the hearing.
“It is not the prefect who will be in front of the voters in a few years”
“It is always boring that the state thwarts local wills to get things done, with fine arguments on paper, but that it is not able to come and present them pending. It is a lack of respect especially towards the fairgrounds ”, tackled Gilles Platret. By also allowing himself to insist in front of the fairgrounds: “It is not the prefect who will be in front of the voters in a few years. Me, my legitimacy I derive from my election. I am responsible to the Chalonnais, not to the government. This is the honor of the elect. The prefect remains in his place. And you, you are demonstrating that you are able to come together in peace, just so as not to die. The City of Chalon remains alongside the fairgrounds ”.
The peaceful rally in the rue d’Assas ended shortly before 1 p.m. The decision to suspend or not the municipal by-law should be made during the day or Thursday in the morning.
Alix Berthier
Photos: Alix Berthier
Gilles Platret’s decree suspended by the administrative court
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