Paris (AFP)

"No is no, even on a set": dozens of people demonstrated on Monday in front of the premises of the Cours Florent in Paris to denounce the "silence" of the prestigious private theater school in the face of alleged abuses by some of its teachers.

In a statement released at the same time on its social networks, the Cours Florent, through which stars like Isabelle Adjani or Christophe Lambert have passed, affirmed that he had "nothing to hide" and that he was struggling "on a daily basis against any form of harassment ", deploring" anything that did not come under constructive dialogue ".

The call for this sit-in was launched in support of "Les Callisto", an association to fight against violence in performing arts schools born in 2020 and which in November had published a column on the blog of Mediapart, under the title of "Cours Florent, cours violent?".

She accused the institution of being an "accomplice" of attacks, discrimination and systematic humiliation against students.

The association claims to have been sued for defamation by the school.

"The scene of tomorrow will be healthy or will not be", "My rapist is a renowned teacher", could one read on the signs.

"We have warned the management several times of cases of discrimination, harassment, rape, assaults, the management wanted to keep it silent, we are fed up," said a former student of the Cours Florent and member to AFP. of the Les Callisto collective who wished to remain anonymous.

Several hundred anonymous testimonies have been relayed for months on Instagram by another collective, "Paye ton role", to evoke abuses, particularly in conservatories and theater schools, with examples of assaults, simulation exercises. forced sex or remarks deemed offensive.

"I was told + you are not feminine enough, you have to work on your sexuality + when it had no relation to the game", says another ex-pupil, she said, recalling the fear of the student to say no to an almighty teacher.

"Abuse in learning theater is an open secret," said another protester who also requested anonymity.

"There are teachers who use the very tight limit between theater and the intimate, they say that it is the diktat of art but the theater is not a place of suffering", she adds. , calling for "rules" to ensure the student's consent.

© 2021 AFP