Macron portrait dropouts relaxed in the Gers

During an operation to remove the portrait of the Republic in a town hall.

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• Five environmental activists, who had won portraits of Emmanuel Macron in town halls in the Gers, have just been released.

• The court upheld the freedom of speech argument in the context of the climate change debate and government action.

They hope that this judgment will call for others.

This Tuesday, the correctional court of Auch released five environmental activists, "dropouts" of portraits of Emmanuel Macron in town halls of the Gers, during the summer of 2019.

Members of ANV-COP21 Auch and Alternatiba, two non-violent movements for the defense of the environment, they wanted to signify the inaction of the President of the Republic in climate matters.

They were prosecuted for theft in a meeting and then faced up to five years in prison and several thousand euros in fines.

📢 BREAKING - Relax for 5 Portrait dropouts in #Auch!

🎉

The court considered that this non-violent action is part of a debate of general interest on the climate emergency.

And therefore it is legitimate in the name of #freedom of expression!

💪 # Pick up Macron pic.twitter.com/uuW2GjDjMm

- ANV-COP21 (@ AnvCop21) October 27, 2020

Finally, the court “considered that this non-violent action is part of a debate of general interest on the climate emergency.

And therefore that it is legitimate in the name of freedom of expression, ”argued the ANV-COP21 movement on its social networks.

This reason to support the release is "first" since the beginning of a series of similar trials of dropping out of the presidential portrait noted the defense lawyer, Pierre Roujou de Boubée.

During the hearing, on October 13, IPCC climatologist Christophe Cassou and Toulouse economist Geneviève Azam came to testify about the climate emergency.

"The court considered that the offense of theft was constituted and dismissed the state of necessity, considering that there were other means of acting (in the fight against global warming) than by taking down the portraits ", However indicated Maître Roujou de Boubée.

But the magistrates held that it was an "action of political protest forming part of a debate of general interest, thus requiring a reinforced protection of the freedom of expression", which, in fact, neutralizes the criminal offense, he continued.

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