It had been occupied since March 15.

The Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux was evacuated by decision of the town hall on Wednesday March 24, generally calm despite a few incidents.

This evacuation is the first of its kind since the occupation movement started at the Odeon theater in Paris on March 4, to demand the reopening of cultural places, and is spreading oil in France.

"There are no more occupants inside," environmentalist mayor Pierre Hurmic assured the press at midday.

The Grand Théâtre was initially occupied by intermittents from the entertainment world, which then gave way to activists of the "convergence of struggles".

>> To read also: "The occupation of the Odeon theater, an artists 'fight' to make the struggles converge" "

About thirty occupants

The town hall, which was later congratulated "that the first observations of the places show that this heritage jewel has not been degraded", set up a security device to prohibit any new entry.

In a press release, the mayor explained that "artistic activities and the security of the premises were no longer guaranteed to this day", asking the occupants to "leave the Grand Theater without delay".

The thirty occupants, who had spent the night in the neoclassical building in the heart of the city, had been firmly invited in the early morning to leave the premises, the municipal police blocking the entry to any new entrants.

According to an employee of the theater, the police also closed access to the great hall, the refectory and the toilets to encourage departures.

Gathering in front of the building

A hundred demonstrators then gathered in front of the building, blocking the circulation of trams.

Some tried to enter by force but were repulsed by the municipal police, who used tear gas.

"Police officers gassed, there were batons beaten. I'm still in shock. It was brutal," one of the occupants told AFP when he left.

According to Aristide, 20, the occupants had previously decided to leave the premises: "We wanted to go out together with our heads held high. Outside, they chose without warning us to force. It was brutal but in both directions. The cops responded. . There was gas and beatings. "

The Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux, a late 18th century monument dedicated to lyrical art and dance, was occupied on March 15 by intermittents from the world of culture, with the support of the CGT.

Nevertheless, new occupants arrived on March 18, whose demands were closer to the "convergence of struggles" and the fight against precariousness, leading the previous occupants to leave the premises.

The town hall has also noted that "this occupation is no longer part of the national claim of cultural actors" and that the agreements made with the first occupants, in particular in terms of place of occupation, gauge and sanitary conditions, were not "guaranteed".

An expulsion request was filed by the presidency of the establishment with the administrative court.

The occupation of a new place envisaged

The majority led by Pierre Hurmic (EELV) had been questioned a few days ago by the right-wing opposition, which feared excesses and considered "naive to believe that this movement is controllable".

For its part, the CGT-Spectacle declared itself "opposed in principle to an evacuation", while affirming "not to know the occupants" evacuated on Wednesday and to "dissociate themselves" from them, in particular after "especially verbal violence" to against staff, according to Timo Metzemakers, secretary general of Samna-CGT (Musicians Nouvelle-Aquitaine).

The CGT, associated with the collective of intermittents (CIP), is now considering the occupation of a new place in Bordeaux.

According to the CGT-Spectacle, a hundred theaters and cultural places are occupied in France by intermittents and students demanding the reopening of cultural places as well as the withdrawal of the draft decree of the reform of unemployment insurance.

On Twitter, @OccupationOdeon, account of the occupiers, said they could "not tolerate threats or evictions in any of the occupied places."

This morning, the occupation of the large theater in Bordeaux received the information that the place is closing.


We, the occupants of the Odeon, cannot tolerate threats or evictions in any of the occupied places.

We condemn in advance any intervention by the police forces.


The Occupied Odeon.

- Odeon Occupation (@OccupationOdeon) March 24, 2021

With AFP

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