Nancy. Sanitary pass: traders and residents divided in the face of the impressive police force

By Nicolas Zaugra Published onLorraine NewsSee my news

2 p.m., Rue Gambetta, which leads to Place Stanislas, is almost deserted this Saturday, July 31, 2021. Enough to give gray hair to this shopkeeper who fears new clashes in the city center.

In the afternoon, hundreds or even thousands of opponents of the health pass must march through the streets of Nancy.

“The street is empty, it’s unheard of at the end of July. It feels like mid-August, ”laments the manager of a clothing store. According to her, in addition to pedestrianization, the event of the day is no stranger to this atmosphere. “Have you seen the police force around Place Stanislas? It drives customers away! ".

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The procession avoids part of the city center

Earlier in the week, representatives of traders asked the prefect to review the route in order to avoid the Stanislas sector.

"We heard the shopkeepers", they say on the prefecture side, which has modified the route that has been generally respected, with the exception of a few tensions in rue Saint-Dizier. At the prefecture, we assure you that we want to preserve public order but also the freedom to demonstrate.

“The right to demonstrate okay, but why not elsewhere than in the city center, with anticipated and alternate routes and why not a day other than Saturday? asks Fabrice Gwizdak, president of U2P (Union of local businesses).

A shopkeeper on rue Stanislas is surprised by the imposing anti-riot grid that screens customers. "Looks like a jail!" Was it necessary such an iron monster to avoid the demonstrators? It is especially the customers who avoid the street! “, he is alarmed, pointing to the mayor of Nancy, Mathieu Klein who had requested additional police reinforcements.

"It's a good thing"

It was heard since 120 police officers, CRS and gendarmes were mobilized on Saturday in the city center.

"It's a good thing", assures a customer seated on the terrace who sees the imposing procession of demonstrators pass on Place Charles III. "It's a lesser evil. Demonstrate yes, but you have to supervise the most violent, ”says Didier.

Others are less understanding of a line of CRS going up rue Saint-Jean at rush hour. “We just want to pass! There are hardly any protesters here! ". “You turn around, you take the parallel streets”, intimate a policeman.

Request for a ban in the city center

For François Pélissier, the change of route on Saturday is not enough. The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry proposes "the creation of protected commercial areas in areas of high commercial activity, such as town centers, where demonstrations are prohibited on busy days, Saturday afternoons For example ".

Not sure that they will win their case since a new demonstration should be held on Saturday August 7 on the eve of the examination of the text on the health pass by the Constitutional Council.

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