On the municipal side, nothing had filtered from the meeting on January 19 between the mayor of Lilas Lionel Benharous (PS), his assistant for equality between women and men Madeline Da Silva and the three representatives of the collective requesting that renamed the future Serge-Gainsbourg metro station on line 11, soon to be extended.
These three feminist activists, who denounce “the violence against women and the pedocriminal or even incestuous tendencies” of the interpreter of “Poinçonneur des Lilas”, are at the origin of a petition which has collected more than 17,000 signatures and a campaign of drawings published on social networks to propose other names for this station.
Also read: 15,000 signatures against the future Serge-Gainsbourg station at Les Lilas: the City will “think”
“I understand that there is emotion,” Lionel Benharous reacted this Friday. I would not have made this choice. » This decision to name the station after the artist was taken in 2013 by his predecessor, Daniel Guiraud (PS). “At the time, this appointment was not debated,” recalls the current mayor. Today, I understand that part of his story can be offensive. » Lionel Benharous explains that it would be up to him to pay the bill linked to a name change, the initiative having been taken by the City at the time.
“In this case, you assume the financial consequences,” he observes. However, we are too close to the inauguration of the metro station. The RATP told me about a little less than a million euros to change the signs, the signage, not only at the station but along the entire line. If I have a million euros to spend on equality between women and men, I see more urgent spending. We are a fairly exemplary city in terms of equality and the fight against discrimination. I prefer to offer training to agents on discrimination or to develop emergency accommodation for women victims of violence. »
Lionel Benharous also assures that, since taking office in 2020, he has chosen to name streets and public facilities with women's names. One exception: the inauguration of a Place Samuel-Paty in October 2022, named after the history and geography professor murdered in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (Yvelines) on October 16, 2020.