"It has become Chicago here," murmurs Hannah
(the first name has been changed)
, a local resident, casting a suspicious eye at passers-by on rue Émile-Zola, in Saint-Ouen.
They have lookouts.
We must be careful!
In front of the Élizabeth passage, the image is surreal: a woman pulls a stroller a few meters from three dealers.
Sitting on chairs, they laugh loudly on the sidewalk littered with cans.
Traffickers have been selling drugs on this street for years.
But since October, they have stepped up their presence around the Émile-Zola crèche.
Worried and exhausted, the inhabitants called on the town hall, which reinforced the police presence in the area and gave them an appointment this Tuesday to discuss its various measures to eradicate the problem.
"We would like the police in front of the crèche on a daily basis because the situation is deteriorating", insists a local resident.
On a low wall, inscriptions indicate the prices of the "goods".
In this sunny late afternoon, the ten traffickers seem comfortable.
Too much for residents.
"Before, it was young people from the neighborhood rather discreet but there, it is new more visible, who dirty everything", annoys Hannah, who claims to have received threats.
From 8 a.m.
According to a mother of a family, the drug dealers sell their drugs in front of the nursery gate, "under the eyes of the little ones." Some arrive "stoned" as early as 8 am. “Before, they were only on one side and we were more or less able to coexist,” she explains. But since the end of confinement, we have found ourselves facing a group that has invaded space. They make us understand that they are at home. Parents want to remove their children from the establishment because of this. "
Especially since the isolation of the nursery prevents any possibility of bypassing them.
"They are posted at the entrance and exit of the passage, so we have to go past them to drop off our children," laments a parent.
Some traffickers have even started calling mothers.
“They ask them what they are doing and where they are going,” reports one of them.
They no longer feel safe.
"
The traffickers also appropriate the square opposite.
To do their "business", they completely close the gates.
“Before, we went there with our children,” regrets a mother.
“Some descents take place during school hours.
We do not want to take a stray bullet, ”worries a mother.
Unknown
At the exit of the passage on the Émile-Zola side, a man comes out of a white house before joining the drug dealers.
At his side trots an off-leash pitbull terrier.
"It's dangerous for children," blows a mother.
One wonders what is going on in this building.
Sometimes it's barricaded.
"
For the past week, however, police patrols have been circulating more often in the street according to residents.
“We hear screams,” says a mother.
The dealers put everything away and right after, it's off again.
On the other hand, some descents take place during the school leaving hours.
We don't want to take a stray bullet.
"
The mayor "made sure that the patrols circulate twice a day"
According to the town hall, the rise of this point of deal results from the effectiveness of recent dismantling operations in the Michelet and Bachelet districts.
“As the deal has disappeared in these places, there is a redeployment in the Zola district, explains Mayor Karim Bouamrane (PS).
This traffic is mobile, therefore, it is surgical work, street by street, that we carry out.
"
Alerted for three weeks, the municipality has strengthened the police presence in the area.
From now on, municipal agents supervise the surroundings of the nursery for about forty minutes in the morning and the brigade of respect and civility takes over in the afternoon.
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"I made sure that the patrols circulate twice a day in front, adds the mayor.
The number of police officers has been multiplied by five, or 25 additional police officers.
We will put human and technical resources to protect schools.
"Karim Bouamrane discussed with the direction of the national police" for a more vigilant cooperation on the sector.
The elected official also relies on urban development projects to eliminate traffic in the city.
"We bring in large companies like Nexity which will settle in Zola", informs the mayor.
At the end of June, he will meet with the nursery staff and the municipal police to assess the effectiveness of the actions implemented to secure the area.
