“Every day counts”: seven environmental activists were tried on appeal in Paris on Thursday for having won and taken three official portraits of Emmanuel Macron in 2019, in order to denounce the government's “climate inaction”.
The Advocate General asked for the confirmation of the first instance judgment, which had condemned them, on October 16, 2019, to a fine of 500 euros for “theft in a meeting”.
There were eight of them but only seven of them, aged 24 to 37, appealed.
The defense pleaded for acquittal, in particular on the basis of a recent judgment of the Court of Cassation on freedom of expression.
The court reserved its decision until December 10.
"Uncovered" and "without degradation"
On February 21 and 28, 2019 in Paris, three presidential portraits were stolen from the town halls of the 3rd, 4th and 5th arrondissements of the capital, as part of a national campaign "Unhook Macron", led by the Non-violent Action movement COP21 (ANV-COP21).
As for the 150 or so symbolic “requisitions” claimed by the movement throughout France, these actions were carried out in a few minutes, “with their face uncovered” and “without degradation”.
Thursday at the hearing, the defendants, six of whom were present, admitted the facts and defended their action.
"This is another means of expression that we have put in place and which corresponds to a world in which there was a report from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) which says that each day counts, ”explained one of the defendants, Etienne, aged 26.
"The worst is to pretend and it is that this fact Emmanuel Macron", estimated Cécile Marchand, who also appeared.
"The reality of the facts, at the national level, is that France does not even respect the laws that it has set itself".
Cécile Duflot at the helm
Cited by the defense, three witnesses spoke at the bar: Jean-Pascal Van Ypersele, climatologist and former vice-president of the IPCC, Agnès Catoire, member of the Citizen's Convention for the climate and Cécile Duflot, former minister and director of 'Oxfam France.
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Since the first trial of "dropouts" in May 2019 in Bourg-en-Bresse, disparate decisions have been rendered depending on the courts.
After 3 hours of hearing, the Dropouts leave the #Paris Court of Appeal.
The Advocate General requests penalties of 500 euros firm, as in first instance.
Deliberated on December 10, for the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement! # DécrochonsMacronhttps: //t.co/W1gLbghh5t
- ANV-COP21 (@ AnvCop21) October 22, 2020
The conviction of the activists in Paris in October 2019 came a month after an acquittal in Lyon: the court then invoked "the state of necessity", deeming "legitimate" the action of civil disobedience "in the face of the lack of respect by the 'State of objectives that can be perceived as minimal in a vital area'.
This Lyon decision was however overturned on appeal on January 14, with a fine of 250 euros for two activists.
Note that two other dropouts were summoned this Thursday to the Strasbourg court for similar facts.
The prosecution requested a suspended fine of € 300 per person.
The deliberation will be delivered on December 3.
🔴Process at #Strasbourg ⚖️: Follow the mobilization of support for Christine and Charles, two citizens on trial today!
See the thread⬇️
Together let's put the climate and social inaction of the government of @ EmmanuelMacron on trial! # DécrochonsMacron pic.twitter.com/JsAj7D9Sva
- Alternatiba ⋅ ANV-COP21 ⋅ Strasbourg (@ANV_Strasbourg) October 22, 2020
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