“I was reminded of the law, and I did not get yelled at,” assures Sébastien Brochet, the president of the FDSEA for the canton of La Rochelle.
On March 22, 2023, this farmer and other members of the majority agricultural union in Charente-Maritime organized “a targeted action” in L’Houmeau, a town bordering La Rochelle.
Tires and manure were dumped on the outskirts of the town to denounce a project to buy back land intended for organic farming.
On this occasion, Sébastien Brochet made insulting remarks reported by the daily “Sud Ouest” against the mayor Jean-Luc Algay: “L’Houmeau, we’re going to come back to that.
It was only a first warning.
If it is necessary to sequester the mayor in his town hall, we will do it.”
The elected official immediately filed a complaint.
Quickly heard by the gendarmerie, Sébastien Brochet sent him a written apology while denying having made these comments.
“He just got his knuckles slapped”
This case was finally resolved in September 2023 after a summons from the La Rochelle public prosecutor.
“Having admitted his guilt”, Sébastien Brochet received a probationary criminal warning.
This measure allows magistrates to recall “the obligations resulting from the law (…) as well as the penalties incurred” to better extinguish criminal proceedings.
“It’s finished,” confirms Sébastien Brochet.
The mayor of L'Houmeau learned the news in December 2023. “I had not been notified by the public prosecutor's office until then, I had to write to them to find out!
He admitted the facts and simply got a slap on the wrist.
I am disappointed,” says Jean-Luc Algay.
After the FDSEA operation, the elected official hoped for a symbolic decision as well as compensation for the damage.
“The municipality spent nearly 2,500 euros to clean up the dumped waste.
Everything ended up in landfill.
In the end, it is the taxpayer who pays,” insists Jean-Luc Algay.
“We removed part of it, especially the tires.
The town must have put the manure to good use.
It was a good fight,” says Sébastien Brochet, who only regrets one thing: “It’s a shame that the mayor didn’t respond to my letter… I seem like the ugly duckling but all of that bothers me. get over it, I have many other things to do.”
This farmer has since “not changed his mind” about the project led by L’Houmeau but now intends to stay away from it.