Le Figaro Nice
The series lasted more than a year.
A few excavators have just given the final clap.
At 56 route de Turin, in the industrial and outdated Mercantour district, northeast of Nice, a building is being demolished.
The same one who was at the heart of a very political battle last year between the mayor of Nice and his most loyal adversary, Éric Ciotti.
This tower, as gloomy as it is decrepit, owned by the Public Land Establishment (EPF) and managed by the City, had over time become the landmark of a community of squatters with execrable hygiene.
In a report at the end of January 2023,
Le Figaro
pointed out a staggering spectacle, including the presence of a pile of rubbish on a concrete slab located at the foot of the building, on the courtyard side.
Furniture, household appliances, clothes, half or even completely open garbage bags… A whole pile of garbage was then piled there.
“
They throw everything out the windows
,” commented a neighbor.
Pointed out by some disgruntled residents and members of a neighboring pétanque club, Éric Ciotti, boss of LR and deputy for the 5th constituency of the Alpes-Maritimes, immediately denounced an “
unacceptable”
situation , summoning Christian Estrosi to intervene without delay.
The latter's first deputy, Anthony Borré, then got involved, pointing out to the parliamentarian that he did not need "
an intermediary
", being himself in "
direct relationship
" with the local residents.
The deputy then promised the destruction of the building in the coming year.
Read alsoFight against squats in Nice: “The procedures are far too long and complex”
A collective still angry
But first it was necessary to permanently evacuate the illegal occupants of the place.
A task far from easy, given the profile of the occupants - most of them in an irregular situation - who are determined to stay there.
The eviction was made possible during the month of March, thanks to a fire - the origin of which is still unknown - which forced the squatters to set sail.
Just enough time for city services to wall up the building and prevent any further attempts at intrusion.
Mission accomplished.
It was therefore on X (formerly Twitter) that Anthony Borré announced Tuesday afternoon the start of demolition work on 56 route de Turin, supporting photos.
“In accordance with the commitments we made with [Christian Estrosi], the demolition of the old dilapidated and squatted building at 56 route de Turin has begun
,” he soberly indicated.
A message that made the Mercantour Collective react within the hour.
This group of residents has been denouncing for years the climate of insecurity established by drug traffickers in a “
hellish
” tower managed by Côte d'Azur Habitat (the city's social landlord) and located at number 151 on the Route de Turin. .
“The 56?
A few meters further, at 151, come and destroy everything too, it's the only solution.
You only travel when the media talk about us.
And again, we don’t say everything!”
, the collective was annoyed.
Éric Ciotti did not react to the news of the demolition of the old squat.