The announcement of its closure was made in front of millions of viewers, three days after the assassination of Samuel Paty in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines).
In the 8 pm newspaper of TF1, last October 19, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced that he had "asked the prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis" to close the Pantin mosque.
He criticized in particular the place of worship for having relayed on its Facebook page the video of the student's parent who had attacked the teacher, and in which also appeared the address of the college where the attack occurred.
This Monday, while the debates on the bill "consolidating the principles of the Republic" opened in the National Assembly, the Minister of the Interior opened the way for an earlier than expected reopening of the place of worship. .
A surprise, when it had been administratively closed for six months and therefore should not welcome the public before mid-April.
"We are not fighting against a religion"
"When the state has to take strong decisions to close places of worship, it must do so without a trembling hand, and this was the case for the Pantin mosque," the minister recalled.
"Today, the faithful clean their homes, organize things in accordance with the laws of the Republic," he continued.
So the Ministry of the Interior will have to authorize the reopening of this mosque earlier because we are not fighting against a religion but against those who make an Islamist takeover against this religion.
"
An announcement that surprised even the rector of the mosque of Pantin, M'hammed Henniche, and his supporters.
The rector's lawyers had unsuccessfully challenged the prefecture's decision before the administrative council and then the Council of State.
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This Tuesday, they preferred to play it safe while awaiting official confirmation from the state.
“This would be excellent news for the faithful, only allows Me Vincent Brengarth.
The reopening is an objective that we all share together, but we are awaiting more precise information from the prefecture.
Today we lack visibility on the calendar.
"
The imam had been dismissed
The lawyer recalls that a "permanent dialogue" was open between the association managing the place of culture and the services of the State.
During his appeal filed with the Council of State, M'hammed Henniche had indicated at the hearing that he undertook to install a video protection camera system at the entrance to the site.
It is now done, says his lawyers today.
At the time, he also assured that the imam of the mosque had been permanently removed.
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On October 19, in front of the cameras of TF1, Gérald Darmanin explained that the latter had educated several of his children in an underground school in Bobigny, also closed by the state services in early October.
"Children from 2 to 6 years old wore the hijab there, without a playground, without windows, without a teacher," the minister said.
