It might not have been the best idea to organize a clandestine party in the middle of Covid ... a stone's throw from Matignon, the Prime Minister's residence.
Four men, aged 21 to 37, appeared on Friday March 26 before the Paris Criminal Court for endangering the lives of others.
They are suspected of having set up, on the night of December 12 to 13, rue de Varenne in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, a nightclub, in defiance of all health rules.
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"Come on in, come in for a drink": in the midst of the pandemic, we went to a clandestine party
The prosecutor requested against them sentences of two months in prison suspended at 2000 euros fine.
The magistrate believes that these four defendants put the participants of this evening in danger.
“These men are not students who wanted to fill their boredom.
These are Covid-19 opportunists who wanted to take advantage of the situation, ”he says.
100 euros entry, building code included
This case begins with a call to the police in the middle of the evening.
The man explains that he has just been invited to a party on his Instagram account.
Under the nickname "Laznight" his correspondent offers an evening for 100 euros entry with a phone number to obtain the code for the porte cochère.
An official calls this number and obtains confirmation that an evening is taking place.
At 11:30 p.m., a patrol went to the site.
The police question their colleagues on guard at the Hotel Matignon who confirm that they hear noise in front.
The agents work in a 300 square meter apartment.
In this triplex, a hundred people party without a mask.
There is a bar, a waitress, a DJ and two security guards.
They evacuate the premises without verbalizing the revelers.
The next day, the investigators of the police station identify the owner of the premises who assures that he rented his property on Booking to a young man who wanted to organize a dinner.
The police identify the organizers who know each other to work in the nightlife as touts.
Since the start of the health crisis, they no longer have work and have decided to organize a party.
The entrance fee was 100 euros and the bottle of champagne, whiskey and vodka were negotiated there between 300 and 600 euros.
"We wanted to have fun and party"
White shirt and ponytail, Yann assures us that there was no question of making a big profit.
" We're friends.
We all worked in the nightlife and we wanted to have fun and party.
In a profitable evening you can earn between 20,000 and 30,000 euros.
This time, we were just asking for a contribution, ”he remarks.
Her boyfriend Alexandre, who is a financial engineering student, rented the apartment.
“I wanted to celebrate the end of my studies,” explains this young man, wearing a gray suit and a silk shirt.
Their two other friends, Alexis and Lazare, played their contact to find party attendees.
These two men deny having had an active role in the organization.
"I just wanted to have fun in this evening because I was fed up with staying alone at home," Lazare remarks.
There is no evidence that a patient was present or that a person would have fallen ill
On the benches of the defense, the lawyers all pleaded in favor of the release of their clients.
They recalled that the participants of this festival came of their own accord and that the organizers did not expose them to any risk.
And besides, they note, nothing in the file proves that a patient was present or that a person would have fallen ill in the days that followed.
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It is also a question of the non-respect of the safety standards of reception of the public.
"But if I invite my daughter's whole class for her birthday, would I have to equip my apartment with fire extinguishers and an escape plan?"
It's ubiquitous, ”launches another piece of advice.
The deliberation will be delivered on May 14th.