Eric Drouet, one of the emblematic figures of the “
yellow vests
” movement, was released on Friday on appeal for the “
organization
” of two demonstrations “
without prior declaration
”, at the end of 2018-beginning of 2019, and for having participated in the one of them with a stick in her bag.
The road driver of Seine-et-Marne was sentenced to a 2,000 euros fine, including 500 suspended on March 29, 2019 for having organized - which he contested - the undeclared demonstrations of December 22, 2018 and January 2, 2019 .
Read also: Decision expected for the "yellow vest" Eric Drouet, tried for the organization of two undeclared events
On September 4, 2019, he was also sentenced to a suspended fine of 500 euros for having participated in the same rally of December 22 with a stick in his bag - a simple "
piece of wood
" for him, a "
baton
" according to the prosecution.
He had, however, been released from the prosecution for "
participating in a group formed with a view to violence
".
This 35-year-old father, who has always disputed having a role of leader of this social movement - back on Saturday in the streets of France - had appealed against his two convictions.
On Friday, the Paris Court of Appeal ruled jointly on the two cases: it canceled the arrest of Mr. Drouet on December 22, 2018, ruling it unfounded, and therefore also canceled all the procedure that followed.
In addition, the court released Mr. Drouet for his role in the rally of January 2, 2019, considering that, "
in the absence of a more in-depth investigation into the organization and mode of operation of the Yellow Vests movement, it will not it can be ruled out that the accused was not the organizer of the rally and only relayed information
”.
"
This is a remarkable victory, both in form and in substance
", welcomed his lawyer Khéops Lara.
“
The magistrates of the Paris Court of Appeal have sanctioned both the illegal arrest (...) and the use of questionable criminal offenses in order to prevent him from expressing himself and demonstrating.
""
The Paris Court of Appeal thus recalls that Justice can also protect against arbitrary arrests and guarantee the peaceful exercise of the freedom to demonstrate ... even for + yellow vests + whose right is still denied, to this day , by prefectural decrees in various metropolitan areas in France,
”he continued.
Eric Drouet was one of the initiators of the first national mobilization of “
yellow vests
”, an anti-elite citizen movement that fights for more fiscal and social justice, on November 17, 2018 by creating the “
National Blocking
” event on Facebook
against the increase in fuels
”.
Almost two years later, gatherings are announced in the provinces (Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon, Lille, Nantes, Nice, Bordeaux or Strasbourg) and in the capital.
