Trial of November 13: these unexpected friendships that have been woven between the civil parties

Océane Théard 6:10 a.m., June 29, 2022

The trial of the November 13 attacks, which took place at the Bataclan, on Parisian terraces and at the Stade de France, is coming to an end.

After ten months of hearing, the special assize court of Paris must deliver its verdict this Wednesday evening.

The 2,400 civil parties who followed the trial came together during these often trying ten months. 

An unexpected friendship

There was the first day of the hearing in early September, modesty, tense faces.

And then, over the hours spent together on the benches of the courtroom, the friendship between civil parties that is woven, says David, ex-hostage of the Bataclan.

"Aurélie, Artur, Gwendal, Bruno... I have plenty of them and I can go on like this for a long time. This friendly complicity is unexpected in such a serious, ceremonial and important place. But it was really necessary at times where we weren't expecting it, and that's what really constituted a lot of civil parties at the hearing. 

READ ALSO >> 

November 13: the Life for Paris victim support association will be dissolved in 2025

Other links, more unexpected, were also tied with the three defendants who appeared free.

Because, beyond the trial, the cold marble of the courthouse.

There are these discussions, these drinks shared at the café opposite, remembers Maître Maugendre, one of the lawyers for the civil parties. 

Friendships that will last

"There is a table with victims and a table with lawyers, and so it creates relationships that, little by little, are forged a little more. And it becomes more than just a simple bistro discussion, given the drama which was experienced by these people. It is necessary that there is humanity", he confides on Europe 1. 

>> Find Europe Matin in replay and podcast here

Friendships that will remain, predicts the lawyer.

Some have even planned to meet again this summer, others at the start of the school year.