Four men were sentenced Wednesday in immediate appearance for trash fires during an illegal carnival that brought together thousands of people in Marseille in the midst of a pandemic this weekend.

If carnival riders have told of living this moment as an outlet, the event aroused indignant reactions in the midst of a pandemic.

Three days after a carnival that brought together thousands of people in Marseille in the midst of a pandemic, four men were sentenced Wednesday in immediate appearance for trash fires, violence on police or rebellion, and a fifth was released.

"I was in turmoil, I had been drinking all day, it had been a long time since I had party", explained in court Etienne, 25, who has just obtained a master's degree in geography.

His co-defendant, Victor, 22, in civic service, appeared in the box after a night spent in pre-trial detention for trash fires and carrying two knives.

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"It's completely oblivious of me to have done this"

The president recounts the end of carnival Sunday marked by the dispersal of revelers by the police and excesses.

Etienne wears a fuchsia spindle, Victor is disguised as a unicorn, with the inscription ACAB (an anti-police slogan, "All cops are bastards") on the forehead.

They are spotted by CCTV cameras burning five garbage cans, facts they admit.

"It's completely unaware of me to have done that", admits Etienne, from Briançon (Hautes-Alpes), finally sentenced to three months in prison.

Victor, originally from a small village in the Creuse, was sentenced to 90 hours of community service.

He had already been sentenced in 2020 in Sables-d'Olonne for damage and violence after an action on a Zad.

They will have to repay 846 euros jointly and severally to the metropolis of Aix-Marseille-Provence.

"The little day of intoxication will cost 155,000 euros to the community" if we add up all the degradations identified, quipped the lawyer of the metropolis Pierre Bruno.

Leo, 32 years old at RSA, is a regular at this carnival of the Plain, independent and militant.

He was disguised like others as Petassou, a traditional carnival character from Occitania.

He was sentenced to four months in prison suspended for rebellion during his arrest and refusal to submit to biological samples.

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Six months of probationary suspension reinforced for two years

Finally, Laurent, a 52-year-old Marseillais, was sentenced to six months of probationary suspension reinforced for two years, with obligation of care and training, for having thrown at least one glass bottle which landed on the shield of a CRS.

He had a "different profile," said the prosecutor.

Ex-aeronautical technician now unemployed, Laurent admits to being "in a disastrous situation", with alcoholism problems which he believed belonged to the past and which earned him several convictions for driving while intoxicated.

Just before them, Marco, a 28-year-old Italian, appeared in custody on suspicion of having thrown stones at the CRS.

He was released.

Thousands of young people - 6,500 according to police - gathered Sunday afternoon for a carnival where the vast majority did not wear masks and did not respect social distancing.

If carnival riders have told of living this moment as an outlet, the event aroused indignant reactions in the midst of a pandemic.