Judged for theft at Quai Branly, they denounce "the looting of Africa"

Five activists for the restitution of African works of art were on trial for an attempted theft at Quai Branly -

• Five activists who denounce the looting of African works of art were tried on Wednesday for an attempted robbery in a meeting at the Quai Branly museum.

• For "attempted theft of cultural property in a meeting", the defendants face 10 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros.

• The defendants made this hearing a political platform.

At the criminal court in Paris,

Can we steal a work of art that we believe belongs to us, a work itself stolen several decades ago?

This is the thorny question on which the 10th chamber of the Paris Criminal Court looked into this Wednesday.

The object, in this case a 19th century funerary post exhibited at the Quai Branly museum, was briefly removed from its base last June by activists denouncing the "looting of Africa" ​​before being returned without having suffered significant damage.

The case is eminently political, as evidenced by the forty or so activists present in front of the room to support the defendants.

The Covid-19 epidemic and the need to maintain a certain social distancing will nevertheless prevent the majority of them from attending the hearing.

From the outset, however, the president tried to dismiss this dimension of the case.

Admittedly, beyond this legal process aimed at trying five people prosecuted for "attempted theft in assembly of a classified movable object", hides a "citizen" lawsuit, "that of the history of Europe with the 'Africa, colonization, the diversion of the cultural heritage subject to the occupation and domination of the country,' explains the magistrate in a long preamble.

He nevertheless refuses to make this "small affair" the "trial of History" to which the defendants aspire.

“If we were to put Françafrique on trial, would we be legitimate?

How many experts, political scientists should we bring to the stand?

However, the court has planned two hours to judge this case, the hearing will last twice as long.

"This political action was intended to open the debate"

All the defendants admit having taken part in this action.

How could they also deny it since they themselves filmed and broadcast this happening on social networks?

“To alert the elites, we need spectacular actions,” explains Romain C., a 27-year-old law student, with no criminal record like three of his co-defendants.

"The purpose of this political action was to open the debate", specifies Bonelvy D., who appears at his side.

One after the other, they explain that this happening was nevertheless not premeditated.

They had certainly made an appointment near this museum which hosts the largest collection of African premier art in the world, but had not planned to seize an object.

It would be the opportunity to seize this post - the only one not protected by glass panels - which would have given them the idea.

At the helm, Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, spokesperson for the Unity, Dignity, Courage association, considered the leader of this action, refutes having wanted to remove the work from the museum.

The pictures do show him doing "laps" in the hallways.

"The objective was the symbolism of liberation", exposes the activist, dressed in a long white shirt on which is printed an African statue and displaying imposing traditional necklaces around the neck.

On the video, however, he repeats several times to the guards who try to hold him back: "We are leaving with our property, we are going home," nevertheless notes Me Yvon Goutal, the museum's lawyer.

And the advice to recall that a few weeks after this coup, Emery Mwazulu Diyabanza, seized an ivory object at the African arts museum in Marseille and then tried to take a sculpture from the Congo to a Dutch museum .

This time he went out into the museum courtyard and drove around.

"My clients did not commit theft, they interrupted a concealment"

In the room, the questions of the civil parties annoy the few activists who have obtained a place.

"These are our works, I can no longer bear it, we are being robbed," screams a woman in the audience after nearly three hours of hearing.

Whispers rustle when the museum council recalls that since 2017 the state's position on the issue has changed and that a first agreement to return 26 works to Benin has been signed.

“Twenty-six works out of how many?

», Asks the lawyer of several defendants, Me Hakim Chergui.

He estimates at 116,000 the number of goods looted from Africans in French museums.

“My clients did not commit theft, they interrupted concealment.

"

If in the eyes of the prosecution this "fight is quite respectable", the prosecutor deplores the method used.

"There are other means of action for these claims than violent action which does not respect the legislation", insists the magistrate, asking for a penalty of 1,000 euros for the spokesperson of the association and 500 euros with stay for the four other defendants.

Deliberation is scheduled for October 14.

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