This is a decisive legal victory for the Secours populaire d’Hayange. But among the volunteers around President Anne Duflot-Alliévi, we still hesitate between fear and relief. Admittedly, the Court of Cassation has just given satisfaction to the charitable movement which supports, each week between 900 and 1100 people. And if the mayor of Hayange, the RN Fabien Engelmann, has just been dismissed, after a legal marathon of almost six years, the soap opera has seen many twists and turns.
The mayor evokes “other options” for the start of the school year
The elected official demands the expulsion of the Secours populaire from the premises made available to the town hall, considering them occupied “without right or title”. He also denounces an association “politicized by activists”. Since 2016, numerous legal proceedings have been undertaken. “He even cut off our electricity and heating for nearly two years,” regrets Ms. Duflot-Allievi.
A first court decision proved the mayor wrong, but the fight never stopped. After the decision in cassation, Fabien Engelmann mentioned “other options” and speaks of a decision “in September after consulting elected officials”.
The volunteers thus fear a sale of the building hosting the local, which is shared by Restos du cœur and Secours populaire. They deplore, moreover, that despite the support of the charitable milieu of Lorraine, the association is prohibited from any cultural event. It does not appear anywhere in the list of associations of the city, listed on the municipal portal. Anne Duflot-Aliévi is convinced of this: “He wants to eradicate us. But we will continue to fight…”