Stéphane Guy case, word to the defense.
Via his lawyer Me Olivier Khatchikian, the former sports commentator of Canal + has indicated that he intends to "contest the validity of his dismissal" and ask for its nullity.
Reason: this one "blatantly violates this fundamental freedom which is freedom of expression".
In other words, Stéphane Guy wishes, as also indicated in a letter addressed to the encrypted channel, to be reinstated within the sports editorial staff, from which he was ejected on December 24.
The management of Canal + had then notified him of a "mandatory breach of loyalty", as well as a "deliberate denigration and deterioration of the image of Canal +".
His fault ?
Having mentioned on the air, the ousting of comedian Sébastien Thoen after a parody of CNews, broadcast on the Web on behalf of Winamax.
Me Khatchikian also underlines that Stéphane Guy is "still in shock at his dismissal", "stunned by the injustice of the sanction" despite "the multiple testimonies of support, especially from his colleagues at Canal +, but also from tutelary figures of the channel, of its colleagues, of the world of football, who give it the strength to hold out ”.
And adds: “We are studying all avenues for redress.
Contacted, Canal + did not respond to our request.
"We are all potential Stéphane Guy"
Earlier in the day… “Hey, wouldn't that be Pierre Ménès?
"And Hervé Mathoux, he came?
»« I wonder if there is Laure Boulleau too?
"In front of the Canal + headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt, we played who's who.
Or rather, whose faces were hidden behind the paper masks bearing the effigy of Stéphane Guy.
But if there were three or four headliners, as one participant told us, we didn't recognize any.
Masked (or even disguised from head to toe so as not to be really identifiable) and in silence, this is how about 70 employees of the group led by Vincent Bolloré, including some journalists from CNews, showed their support for the ex-commentator number 1 soccer.
Some arrived from the street in small groups, others left the entrance hall, before dispersing as quickly.
After the silence, the press release.
The SDJ of Canal + explained the reason for this movement, decided within the sports department, the day before: “With this silent and anonymous action we want to signify that we are all potential Stéphane Guy, all likely to be sanctioned, unfairly dismissed, for a wrong word, a friendly greeting to a colleague on the air ”.
The letter also specifies the choice to appear masked, anonymous: “We would like to be able to express ourselves freely, with our faces uncovered, but the prevailing climate of fear and repeated intimidation prevent us from doing so.
"And to conclude:" We also reaffirm our attachment to freedom of expression when it comes within the respect of the limits set by the law, to the freedom to express our disagreement when a decision seems unjust.
"
PODCAST. "Canal Spirit" where are you? Les Guignols, Sébastien Thoen ... behind the scenes of a laughter crisis
"We're all freaking out, in fact"
Among those present, a handful of unmasked faces, all the same.
All trade unionists at the CGT, including François Perrin, technician at Canal + for 36 years.
“Stéphane Guy's sanction is so disproportionate,” he says.
When I think back to the time when
Les Guignols
could freely laugh at Pierre Lescure or Jean-Marie Messier without that being a problem.
With the current management, the Canal spirit is totally dead.
"
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Contacted a few minutes after this symbolic gathering, one of the participants testified: “We had to do something to support Stéphane Guy and our attachment to freedom of expression.
Some were even for the strike, others for demonstrating without masks.
But many feared for their jobs and would not have come otherwise.
It's complicated to work in a climate of fear.
We're all freaking out, actually.
Then to promise, half anger half resigned: "This is only the first step.
"
VIDEO. Dismissal of Stéphane Guy: "The Canal spirit is totally dead ..."