The Gap Criminal Court on Thursday (August 29th) sentenced three Identity Generation officials to six months in prison after anti-migrant actions in the Alps by this far-right group in 2018.
Generation identity is sentenced to a maximum fine of 75,000 euros. The three defendants were prosecuted for "activities exercised under conditions that created confusion in the minds of the public with the exercise of a public office".
The court also imposed a fine of 2,000 euros, as well as the deprivation of their civic, civil and family rights for five years against Clement Gandelin (dit Galant), 24, president of Génération Identitaire, his spokesman Romain Espino , 26, and an active organizer of the movement, Damien Lefèvre (dit Rieu), 29 years old.
Large operation in April 2018
In its reasoning, the court considers that, "in view of the extremely serious nature of the facts, of the importance of the disturbance to public order occasioned not only during their period of commission but in a lasting manner in the department, the importance of the values protected by the alleged offenses and the criminal history of the defendants ", prison is required.
On April 21, 2018, Génération Identitaire had mounted a vast operation at the Col de l'Échelle, a crossing point for many migrants in the Hautes-Alpes.
A hundred people dressed in the same blue jacket were mobilized, with two helicopters, a giant banner, and a "symbolic border" materialized in the snow by plastic screens. In the following weeks, right-wing activists announced interceptions of migrants and smuggling investigations.
Mr. Pierre-Vincent Lambert, counsel for the defendants, has already announced that his clients would appeal the decision.
With AFP