The Lyon administrative court on Friday rejected the requests of parents of students, an agricultural union and right-wing municipal elected officials who challenged the decision of the ecological town hall of Lyon to impose meatless menus in canteens because of the health crisis.
A decision which, already taken under Gérard Collomb without it moving anyone, had caused controversy and had reacted to members of the government.
"The only temporary simplification of the composition of meals decided by the city of Lyon (...) does not create a health risk for children which would be likely to exceed the serious risk of contamination which would result from a congestion of the dedicated premises , nor the detrimental consequences that the need to close the service or greatly reduce access would have ”, writes the summary judge in his decision.
The emergency appeal to administrative justice was based on a 2011 decree setting the nutritional rules in school catering, according to which "at least four meals", out of twenty consecutive, must be served "with, as a protein dish, meat not minced beef, veal, lamb or meat offal ”.
"The decision rejects the appeal only on the issue of urgency, considering that the measure will only apply until April 9," says Maëlle Comte, lawyer for the FDSEA and parents from the nine districts of Lyon.
Associations that do not give up
The town hall of Lyon, headed by the ecologist Grégory Doucet, had explained that at the request of the National Education, it had to respect two meters of distance between the children in the canteen, which amounted to eating fewer students at the same time.
She had therefore decided, at the start of the holidays, on February 22, for a single menu without meat, presented as "the lowest common denominator" between the tastes, habits or food prohibitions of children, aimed at simplifying the service. .
“Finally, the meatless menu is preferred because it is the one that best respects religious, philosophical and ideological convictions.
It is a violation of the principle of neutrality of public service and secularism, ”said Maëlle Comte.
"We will be very vigilant that this situation does not last beyond April 9" (date of the Easter holidays in the Lyon academy), says the lawyer.
With regard to the request filed by the FDSEA, the administrative court considers that "the measure does not appear likely to create serious consequences for the agricultural livestock sectors".
On February 22, several dozen farmers came in tractors with a few cows to protest near the Town Hall.