In a town bordering Le Puy-en-Velay, a shooting at racialized children has sparked outrage among residents, who have decided to organize to address the impunity that too often accompanies racist attacks. UCLouvain participated in the movement. --- On April 19, in the working-class neighborhood of Arbousset in Espaly-Saint-Marcel, a town bordering Le Puy-en-Velay, a 62-year-old man attacked racialized children playing in front of his building. After hurling racist insults at them, he came out of his home, air rifle in hand, and fired at the children. No one was physically injured, but the psychological impact was profound.
The assailant, whose behavior had long been known in the neighborhood-and whose actions had already alerted the authorities-was taken into custody. But for the families, the path to justice proved fraught with obstacles.
A breeding ground for impunity
An initial attempt to file a complaint was rejected at the police station. During the second visit, while the complaint was finally registered-after a long wait-the police initially refused to acknowledge the racist nature of the incident. It was only under pressure from SOS Racisme that this characterization was added to the complaint.
For the residents and the mobilized associations, this episode is not an isolated incident. The combined inaction of the city hall, the state, and its representatives-police, prefecture, and public prosecutor's office-has allowed a climate of impunity to take root, letting racist words and deeds flourish without an adequate response. The Haute-Loire Antifascist Network (RAFAHL), where comrades from the UCL (Union of Catholic Students) are active, also points to the responsibility of a national political context in which elected officials and right-wing and far-right columnists, in the pay of bosses who welcome the return of the far right, contribute to normalizing racism. The police, operating with impunity, play a significant role in this systemic racism that poisons the daily lives of racialized populations. The state, with its discriminatory and increasingly racist policies, cannot hide its responsibility for the proliferation of such tragedies.
Faced with this situation, the residents have chosen to organize themselves, refusing any outside co-opting. We supported and encouraged them in this endeavor. On Saturday, April 25, more than 300 people gathered in front of the neighborhood's apartment buildings, responding to the slogan "Fear must change sides." The residents themselves took to the microphone, sharing poignant accounts of their daily lives. RAFAHL, which supported the initiative without leading it, provided security.
UCL Le Puy-en-Velay
https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?Haute-Loire-Mobilisation-populaire-suite-a-une-agression-raciste
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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