The employees of the social landlord Opaly had their faces closed, this Wednesday morning, during the rally organized in support of their colleague attacked Monday afternoon while he was going to his Gentilly branch.
"An unspeakable act which is not an isolated act", according to Opaly which brings together more than 9,500 low-cost housing in Arcueil, Cachan, Gentilly and Le Kremlin-Bicêtre.
The attack suffered by this sector manager from the Frileuse agency was as sudden as it was violent.
As he was about to enter the premises, place de la Victoire-du-8-Mai-1945, he received a call related to his work and picked up.
"It was then that a man appeared who sprayed his face with tear gas," said Alain Cattoni, general manager of Opaly.
The landlord had just condemned a squatted cellar
“He gassed him, knocked him down and then beat him,” continues Carine Delahaie, the president (and PCF candidate in the departmental elections).
“He received two punches, says Alain Cattoni.
The firefighters intervened and transported him to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital, from where he has now been released.
But he wears a neck brace and is off work.
He is extremely shocked physically and psychologically.
"
Why such violence and so targeted?
Several avenues are already being studied because the assailant dropped a sentence, just before leaving.
He ordered his victim not to mind their business.
Three days earlier, Friday, the lessor had a cellar condemned because it was regularly squatted.
Would the aggression against the area manager be reprisals?
"There are a lot of leads, a lot ..." nuances an Opaly employee in Gentilly.
“It's a cowardly and ignominious act, the perpetrator of which hid behind a cap, hood and mask to do this.
But we will never let the mafia networks set up, ”announces in any case Fatah Aggoune, the vice-president.
"Keep your cool"
Indeed, no question for the lessor to remain without reaction after such an act.
Opaly and the victim filed a complaint against X. The public reception, boxes, agencies and headquarters have lowered the curtain on Monday and must reopen this Thursday morning.
And a support rally was organized Wednesday in the presence of many elected officials, tenants and employees, at the scene of the attack "as we did in 2019 at Chaperon-Vert in Arcueil".
To read also "An odious aggression": the director of a social landlord in Val-d'Oise beaten on leaving his home
“Between 10 and 15% of the staff is attacked each year”, denounces the general manager. “More than 12%”, specifies Carine Delahaie, evoking insults, threats, slaps… “They are public service agents, we owe them respect. I call on tenants to support us: when you do not agree with the answer given to you, keep your cool. Every time I come into the lobby, I run into someone yelling at one of our agents! "" I am not very surprised because all the social landlords are subjected to attacks, but here, coming to the front of the agency and attacking our employee in this way is like coming if the aggressor comes to you. My colleagues and I are very shocked, ”says Ahmed, an Opaly employee in Gentilly.
Gentilly, June 16, 2021. Fatah Aggoune, vice-president of Opaly, and Carine Delahaie, president (to her right), took the floor.
Marine Legrand
Among the tenants present, this retiree and her friend consider this violence "unacceptable".
"We are surprised to see the proportions they take", especially in this district filled with "fraternity and friendship": "These attacks are an attack on social housing while we are lucky to have it at the gates of Paris, which is useful to everyone.
"
Patricia Tordjman (PCF), the mayor of Gentilly, “a rebellious and fraternal city”, sent a message directly to the aggressor and his possible accomplices: “Do you want to take it out on someone?
Come take it on me first and we'll see the rest.
"
