While Luxembourg partially relaxed its containment rules at the start of the week, the French authorities had smelled the blow. “We suspected that people from Lorraine would be tempted to go to fill up with gas or buy cigarettes this weekend in the Grand Duchy. What we did not expect is their number! This is the first time that we have seen such a relaxation since the start of confinement, “said divisional commissioner Pierre Bordereau, chief of police at the borders of the Grand-Est, bitterly.
In front of him, an endless line of cars has formed. Bumpers against bumpers: in a few hours, 1,200 cars pass through this improvised checkpoint. The scene is reminiscent of those days of motorway accidents of all dangers. Except that on this Saturday afternoon in spring, near Kanfen, it is simply a question of enforcing sanitary measures due to a deadly coronavirus pandemic. “At this point, we can say that the containment no longer holds,” regrets the divisional.
It is 3 pm and it has already been a good hour since the men of Commissioner Bordereau and those of the motorway CRS invited vehicles traveling in the direction of Luxembourg to temporarily leave the A31 near Kanfen. Everyone has to show off, that is, justify a valid reason for derogating from the trip. But there, patatras! “Many are not in good standing; some do not even have a certificate on them or try to tell us anything, “said a police officer who has no choice but to verbalize.
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Most offenders recognize that they want to go to Lux ’to buy tobacco and fuel, except that this does not fit into any box. “We verbalized some who came from Chémery-les-Deux, from Nancy itself. They first tried to sell us the story of a visit to the granny’s house in Hettange-Grande before letting go of the piece, “said another PAF official. After four hours in the field, the system shows its limits: 81 verbalizations are drawn up. “At one point, we saturated. ”
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The prefect between disappointment and worry
Present at the scene of the control, the prefect of the Moselle Didier Martin is distressed. “I am sincerely disappointed to see so many people moving on a Saturday afternoon without justifying a professional reason. It’s a complete nonsense with regard to containment which is still valid until May 11, ”he said. It is likely that major operations like that of Saturday will be renewed on 1er and May 8.
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