A good hundred of them brave the cold, bundled up, huddled together, rather silent.
This Wednesday, Place du Colonel-Fabien (19th century), in front of the emblematic headquarters of the French Communist Party (PCF) in Paris, anonymous (students, members of student unions, LGTBQ activists) and relatives of Guillaume T. gathered to pay tribute to this young student who committed suicide on Tuesday.
There, too, to express their anger against a backdrop of political turmoil
"The Communists, including Ian Brossat and Nicolas Bonnet Oulaldj (elected PCF Parisians, Editor's note), do not support the victims of sexual violence", asserts a young woman brandishing a sign on which is written: "He had just turned 18.
Maxime Cochard and Victor Laby = predators.
Justice for Guillaume ”.
Tuesday afternoon, the inanimate body of Guillaume T., 20, was discovered in his student room on the Paris-Nanterre campus (Hauts-de-Seine).
According to the first elements of the investigation, it is a suicide.
Registered in license 1 of economic and social administration (AES), the victim was not a stranger.
Three weeks ago, on January 21, Guillaume, close to the PCF, accused on Twitter the elected Parisian (PCF) Maxime Cochard of rape.
Facts that the latter had formally denied.
"We demand justice and respect"
In the context of cases of sexual violence and the hashtag #MeTooGay, his message had the effect of a bomb.
“After more than two years, without knowing how to put words to what happened to me, I realize that I was raped by Maxime Cochard, counselor for Paris, and his companion, in October 2018 when I did not was only 18 years old and particularly vulnerable.
"
LP / Olivier Arandel
This Wednesday morning, the call to rally was launched on Twitter by Ni Unos Menos: “The snow has covered Paris to say goodbye to you.
RV today, 4 pm, in front of the headquarters of the French Communist Party.
We demand justice and respect for you.
Guillaume, we believe you.
"
In front of the closed gates of the PCF and a strong security service, one of the young demonstrators displays another sign: "Violators in politics, your turn has come".
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In the procession, discreet, without her tricolor scarf, Alice Coffin, elected feminist EELV, "tombeuse" of Christophe Girard, came - "It was obvious" - to pay "tribute to the activist".
“The pain is immense and so is the anger”.
A new gathering this Thursday
On the elected side, Anne Hidalgo, the mayor (PS) of Paris, who had yet supported Christophe Girard, also spoke on Twitter: “All my thoughts to Guillaume.
Through his courageous testimony, this engaged young student contributed to a wave of necessary speech release.
I extend my condolences to his loved ones, his family and his friends.
"
His message made people creak on Twitter… "Odieuse tartuferie", launched Ni Unos Menos…
This Thursday, a tribute rally for students is scheduled in Nanterre, at 12:30 p.m., in front of Guillaume's university residence, at the call of the Student Union Federation.
On the police side, the investigation into the search for the causes of death, entrusted to the Nanterre police station, is continuing.
Guillaume's body was transported to the Forensic Institute where it should be autopsied.
