The seven adults judged in immediate appearance before the judicial court of Valence (Drôme), Tuesday February 6, for participation in a group formed with a view to preparing violence or damage, will be determined on their fate this Wednesday February 21.
These men, aged 20 to 25, were arrested during an identity demonstration in Romans-sur-Isère last November.
The prosecution is seeking prison sentences ranging from five to ten months.
The defense lawyers all requested the release of their clients.
Also read “Next time, we will calm down these thugs”: from Crépol to the Cité de la Monnaie, these two Frances that everything separates
At the hearing, the defendants explained, in front of a dubious and annoyed president, that they had met to
“pay tribute to Thomas”
and
“express [their] compassion”
.
These law students, web application developers or temporary workers, come from La Rochelle, Lyon or Aix-en-Provence.
They all have clean criminal records.
“We also wanted to show that we don’t let ourselves be walked on and that we are tired of being attacked
,” one of them admitted.
Six individuals already sentenced
On November 25, a week after the death of Thomas, killed at a village ball in Crépol, 80 individuals affiliated with the ultra-right marched in the Cité de la Monnaie where some of the young people indicted in the death of Thomas live. the teenager, shouting
“justice for Thomas”
or
“Islam outside Europe”
.
In videos circulating on social networks, activists, some hooded or hidden under scarves, had advanced, smoke bombs in hand for some, iron bars for others, in the streets of Romans-sur-Isère then in the Monnaie district.
A total of 17 people were arrested and taken into custody.
Among them, six have already been sentenced to sentences ranging from six to ten months in prison, before being released and placed under judicial supervision with a ban on traveling to Drôme pending their appeal trial. .
They were notably prosecuted for intentional violence with weapons and in meetings against police officers.