“It lasted fifteen minutes, but it was fifteen minutes too long”, recognizes Hervé Poirat, deputy mayor of Épinal (Vosges), at the heart of a controversy since the start of the week.
He was filmed washing the windows of his real estate agency with a high-pressure cleaner, while the Vosges department is in a drought crisis and water restrictions are in force.
On social networks, the video, shot by a motorist, went viral, with around 50,000 views.
“I cleaned my three windows which were in a pitiful state on returning from vacation, but it slipped my mind that there was a prefectural decree.
I shouldn't have done it, it shocked and I apologize.
I made a mistake.
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Water shortage? Prefectural decree? Watering ban? Work ban for professionals in the...
Posted by Benoît Jourdain on Monday, August 22, 2022
Faced with the controversy, the next day, Hervé Poirat submitted his resignation, “to respect the charter of ethics and professional conduct adopted at the start of his term of office by the municipal council”, specifies the mayor of the city, Patrick Nardin.
Even if he recognizes his mistake, the now ex-deputy castigates the virulence of which he was the object, in comments to the video.
"It's become insulting, it's complicated.
I made a mistake, but do I deserve to be attacked like this?
The images serve as a lever to bring a little violence.
In this case, the video was made public by a municipal councilor… from the opposition.
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