Coronavirus: In pictures, the demonstration of the culture sector in Paris.

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20 Minutes - Slideshow

  • The Council of State will look at the closure of cinemas and theaters, as well as that of museums, on Wednesday.

  • This Monday, before the highest administrative court, the representative of the Ministry of Health, Charles Touboul, acknowledged that no study proved that these places were more conducive to contamination, but recalled the existence of "risks".

  • Artists and those in charge of cultural structures denounce a difference in treatment with cults or shops.

Will the Council of State play the role of savior of cinemas, theaters and museums which strongly contest their closure due to coronavirus?

The highest administrative court will decide on Wednesday, while more than 350 artists and persons in charge of structures call again this morning on France info to "reopen all cultural places to the public".

Prime Minister Jean Castex announced on December 10 to maintain the closure of cultural places, despite the end of confinement on December 15.

This due to epidemic pressure and for an indefinite period, at least until January 7.

No study but "risks"

This Monday before the Council of State, the government justified this closure by the need "to avoid avoidable deaths": "The epidemiological situation is very degraded" and "our objective is to avoid avoidable deaths, quite simply" , declared the representative of the Ministry of Health, Charles Touboul, promising that the measure could be lifted "as soon as a window arises to reopen in satisfactory sanitary conditions".

He acknowledged that no study, "very difficult to do", proved that these places were more prone to contamination.

But he recalled the existence of "risks" despite health protocols: the presence of many people, in closed spaces, with prolonged contact.

Misunderstanding about opening up other sectors

The closure decision "aroused the total incomprehension of all players in the sector", noted several cinema associations at the origin of one of the nine appeals.

“The vast majority of other economic sectors have been able to resume their activities, regardless of the flows generated in the territory” they argue.

At the hearing on Monday, the singer Francis Lalanne got carried away, mask lowered over his chin: "We can go to the cheese dairy, but not in front of a theater!"

Is culture worth less than cheese?

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An "inequitable and disproportionate" measure

As other sectors have done before, ski resorts for example, it is by way of summary proceedings, an emergency procedure, that the world of culture has taken the administrative court to challenge the decision. government.

In total, nine appeals will be examined, including those of representatives of the theater and the circus as well as those of several Parisian theaters, who consider the measure "eminently unfair and disproportionate".

Contrary to fundamental freedoms

"Everyone can see the difference in treatment between places of worship and places of culture (...) While the sustainability of theaters is seriously threatened, the decision must restore equality before the law and allow the theater world to limit the catastrophic consequences of the crisis, ”their lawyers Vincent Brengarth and William Bourdon told AFP.

They believe that their closure is contrary to four fundamental freedoms: the freedom to conduct business, the freedom of association, artistic freedom and the principle of equality with other businesses.

Culture

Coronavirus: The Council of State must decide on Monday on the prolonged closure of cinemas and theaters

  • Coronavirus

  • Movie theater

  • Culture

  • Covid 19