More than 1,500 people gathered in Issoudun for a white march in honor of Simon, killed in front of a nightclub in Saint-Maur

A week after the tragedy, it is time for contemplation for the family of Simon, killed by a stab wound while leaving a nightclub. Added to the emotion of loved ones was that of the town of Issoudun, where nearly 1,500 people gathered. With a common goal, that this never happens again.

In Issoudun, in Indre, on September 28, 2024, the emotion was very strong. A week earlier, Simon, 21, died of a stab wound while leaving a nightclub in Saint-Maur, in Cher. At the end of a silent white march of more than 1,500 people, the mother of the deceased spoke: “Your departure left a big void for everyone. You were a loved and adored person. We see you in the smiles and love you gave to those present today. You are in our hearts forever, our star gone too soon. We love you my Simon.“

Witness to this love, an entire city mobilized to support Simon’s family in their pain. Everyone agrees: Simon was loved by everyone. And the number of participants in the tribute testifies to this. “He was like my little brother. He was an extraordinary guy with a big heart, he was adorable, he helped everyone, he liked to party, have fun, laugh. He hadn’t lived here long, but it felt like we’d known him forever.“, assures Adrien Guy, a friend of Simon.

From the end of the morning, in front of Simon’s parents’ bar, the support is there. Despite the circumstances, the establishment remains open. “We continue to work because we have to move forwardexplains the father of the deceased. We still have children at home and we need to set an example for them. Everyone is with us. The locals helped us a lot, it warms our hearts.“

Karim Benhammadi is one of them. “I try to give the family a helping hand, because it’s never easy at times like these. Simon was someone who always helped his parents at the café, who was always smiling and friendly.he remembers. Really, it’s a pain for everyone. There were his loved ones, but not only that. We think it only happens to other people, but no, it also happens to us.“

Before the white march, it was a message of love that chose to be given rather than hatred. At the Issoudun stadium, where Simon played football, his loved ones formed an “S” for Simon within a huge heart pointing towards the sky. Present at this first tribute of the day, Franck, a family friend, hopes to never see this type of drama again: “It is a feeling of injustice and sadness for the parents. I have children of the same age, this is no longer possible. We can’t let this happen.“

“This tribute is important so that there is no more violence. Simon must not have left for nothing“, wishes his father. A message relayed by his mother to the entire assembly present around the family after the white march. A slogan heard by all.

Present at the ceremony, the mayor of Issoudun, André Laignel also spoke. First of all to thank the citizens present and underline the solidarity of Issoudun to “accompany the family”. It was then that the sky darkened, letting out a few drops of rain. “HAS the moment the rain starts to fall I want to quote a famous verse from Verlaine: “It cries in my heart, as it rains on the city.” We must do everything possible to ensure that there are as few similar cases as possible, so that lives, and in particular those of young people, stop being swept away by a bad wind.“, said the councilor. In the emotion of a family and a city, a whisper persists: “Never again.“