The association SOS Racisme filed a complaint Friday in the court of Grasse (Alpes-Maritimes) against two beach establishments in Antibes which it accuses of racial discrimination, noted an AFP journalist.
This complaint specifically targets two private beaches located in Juan-les-Pins, after a discrimination test operation carried out on July 30.
The complaint was filed on behalf of this anti-racism association and on behalf of several individual victims.
The charges are liable to penalties of up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros.
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“
Unfortunately, we noticed that certain beaches do not respond the same thing according to the origin of the couples who present themselves at the entrance, and therefore we obviously concluded that there was discrimination based on the real or supposed origin of the couples. people
", indicated Dominique Sopo, the president of SOS Racisme, present on the spot.
Ten beaches tested
Ten beaches in Juan-les-Pins were tested during this operation, including six that were not complete.
"
On two of them, people of North African origin or people of sub-Saharan origin were refused while white people, so to speak, were able to return
," added Dominique Sopo.
“
Each time, when we wanted to order a mattress, we were told that it was full or that it was on reservation
”, testifies Redouane Halgand, 18, activist of SOS Racisme who had participated in this discrimination test on the Côte d'Azur and lodged a complaint on an individual basis.
The Grasse public prosecutor's office indicated that it had received a letter from the Alpes-Maritimes prefecture transmitting to it the report of SOS Racisme, specifying that this letter was "
under study
" and that the complaints of the association were going to be joined.
Video viewed by 10 million people
In this type of case, "
the requirements of evidence are exorbitant and therefore it rarely goes as far as conviction
", believes Dominique Sopo, who also deplores the "
lack of sensitivity
" of the investigation services.
In July, the online media
Loopsider
filmed the hidden camera test of SOS Racisme.
The video, which today totals 10 million views, had aroused during its broadcast on August 9 many reactions from left-wing elected officials rebelling against “structural racism” in our society.
During this operation, other establishments were tested in Perpignan, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.
If no discrimination has been observed in the first locality, a private beach and a bar in Marseille, as well as a nightclub in Aix-en-Provence, have been pinned down by SOS Racisme, which is preparing a complaint against them. .