It's an expensive New Year's Eve. Up to 10,000 euros in fines were imposed on Monday on the organizers of a clandestine party in Marseille, on New Year's Eve, in violation of the health curfew then in place, even if they were acquitted of the offense of endangering the life of others. The two organizers of the evening were sentenced by the Marseille Criminal Court to a fine of 8,000 euros, including 4,000 euros suspended, for covert work. The company managing the Marseille dance hall where some 300 people had gathered was sentenced to a criminal fine of 20,000 euros, including 10,000 euros suspended.
The court also pronounced the confiscation of the sums seized that evening, that is to say more than 10 000 euros representing the amount of the receipts for the entries and the drinks.
The court estimated the turnover of this evening at 15,000 euros.
At the hearing, on October 6, the prosecutor Mathieu Vernaudon had requested a six-month suspended prison sentence and a 10,000 euros fine against the two organizers, saying that “it certainly tastes like prohibition, but there is a problem. health when we bring together 300 people in an enclosed space at a time when vaccines do not exist ”.
158 people checked
The court, as requested by the prosecution, nevertheless acquitted the defendants of the offense of endangering the life of others on procedural matters. The court released five other people who took part in this evening, including a bouncer recruited illegally. This evening took place even though the prefecture had sent a letter informing that the premises would be monitored on New Year's Eve. The site, which serves as a dance hall during the week, can in fact be hired for receptions and weddings. Of those present at the evening, 158 had been checked by the police, after using tear gas, as the tension had risen.
One of the two defendants, a bank employee, was banned from exercising his duties as industrial tribunal advisor for two years.
"When you leave the industrial tribunal, you are no longer concerned by the law?
», The prosecutor had asked him.
In his indictment, Mr. Vernaudon had pointed to "a problem of equality": "When people like them organize parties, there are managers of nightclubs who have no income, have been closed for months, but respect the rules. bans, it's shocking ”.
THE