This Sunday, June 2, 2024, more than a hundred caravans took possession of municipal plots in Saint-Cyprien next to a residential area. It is clear that, faced with the mayor’s exasperation, the atmosphere has become tense in this seaside resort, both on social networks and in reality.
Le Rapatel Las Planas district, in Saint-Cyprien. On a municipal plot, where the smell of cut grass rises, children play, ladies hang out laundry. Among the hundred caravans arriving on Sunday is a van under repair, water and electricity supply cables criss-crossing under the vegetation. Several families of travelers have found their place to live there because of the main transit area (AGP) which meets their needs in the city “Everything is not suitable. How do we bathe and wash clothes?” They would be there for “Several weeks.” Has arrived “from Carcassonne”and is accompanied by “three or four priests.” One of them is the community representative.
Once again faced with a similar situation, which often approaches the summer, the mayor of the city, Thierry Del Poso, published a few hours after this arrival on his networks a survey for the attention of his constituents with the following title: “Citizens of Saint-Cyprien, faced with the inaction of the state and the legislature, and because the gendarmerie has neither the means nor the instructions to act, you are ready to mobilize with the mayor on the spot at every invasion of travelers, regardless of the neighborhood, to remove them, then answer yes or no.” He finally retracted it a few hours later, specifying that he had been contacted “personally” by the prefect Thierry Bonnier assuring him “that everything would be done to resolve the situation. We expect him to hear the anguish of those who [la] review.” Especially local residents. “We are all outragedwitnesses a resident interviewed. If there is damage again, who do you think will pay with their taxes?”
This question from a chief magistrate of a municipality prompts others: what are the obligations of travelers before they settle in a city? What are those from the competent local authority? To what extent can the prefect intervene if the processing of Travelers is illegal? Can the mayor of the city where the travelers are based intervene on his own?
In sequence with the declaration of arrival in the territory
Primarily. “For almost eight months, the authorities have been aware that our caravans must arrive”, defend members of the evangelical community who were interviewed in Saint-Cyprien. According to our information, a declaration of arrival in the territory was actually registered more than three months ago as required by law. This group therefore complies with its obligations to notify arrival in the territory.
After that. The reception and accommodation plan for travelers in the Pyrénées-Orientales for the period 2021-2026 stipulates that the Sud-Roussillon Community of Communes must have 200 reception places. Saint-Cyprien has a busy area, but with less than 100 places (it is the only municipality in the department that has one). “We can’t go there. There’s not enough room and right next to it we can’t pass”sorry members of the traveling community.
Can the Prefect of the Pyrénées-Orientales expel them for finally settling elsewhere? With regard to Article 9 of the Besson Law of 5. July 2000 regarding the reception and accommodation of travelers, it is prohibited for the representative of the state to carry out an evacuation when the territory is not in accordance with the diagram. Although the occupation is illegal. As in this case.
Finally and in parallel, Mayor Thierry Del Poso, who has no means to act due to the same compliance problem, again takes the lead in relation to this installation of travelers in his city. As early as 2022, he sent a letter to the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, asking him to intervene. But this time by calling for action, would he not cause a disturbance of public order? Due to the reserve period imposed by the European Parliament elections, state services do not wish to comment. The mayor of Saint-Cyprien and his services, who have been contacted several times, also do not want to communicate. Thierry Del Poso again welcomed on social networks “very strong mobilization” of the inhabitants of his municipality in his study. With the number of responses? Based on the content of the answers? Here too, no explanation is given from the person in question.
More than 100 caravans also in Latour-Bas-Elne
Caravans of travelers are also lined up in the parking lot in the shade next to the stadium in Latour-Bas-Elne at the end of the day on Monday, June 3, 2024. According to information from L’Indépendant, the mayor went to the place to ask the families to leave the premises without delay. A complaint was made to the Saint-Cyprien gendarmerie to order them to leave the premises and the prefecture was contacted.
George Bouille
