Report “It’s not going to change anything”: after Emmanuel Macron’s surprise visit, the residents of La Castellane remain skeptical of the promises

The Head of State went to this Marseille city on Tuesday to welcome a vast police operation called “Place Net XXL” put in place since the day before, and which must be continued “for several weeks”.

In the city of La Castellane, the lookout chairs are empty. Hooded police officers are on the roofs and CRS patrol each street of this labyrinth of towers. They have been there since Monday, and stayed late into the night, says a resident : “Monday evening, there was even a helicopter here, we didn’t even sleep.” Emmanuel Macron made a return trip to Marseille to announce the start of a vast anti-drug operation. An operation that he promises is unprecedented and that he wanted to announce during a crowd bath, city of La Castellane. A city in the northern districts of Marseille, known to be a hot spot for drug trafficking.

But this umpteenth police operation will not change anything, assures a resident. He scrutinizes President Emmanuel Macron who walks around, surrounded by cameras. “It’s cinema ! What will he change? ? Nothing is going to change overnight. We don’t believe it anymore, that’s it, it’s over”insists the resident

“We are abandoned by society ! It’s not just drugs. We are in trouble for everything. We have difficulties even with food or rent, it’s excessive.”

A resident of La Castellane

at franceinfo

“We should have the police every day”

In La Castellane, there are many problems, residents say : unemployment, lack of infrastructure, transport… So ultimately, drug trafficking, many say they have gotten used to it. They refuse to talk about it on the microphone but they talk about the deal points which spread to the four corners of the city, the armed kids or the cries of the lookouts.

“We live together”, explains a resident. She would like the trafficking to disappear, but no longer believes in the promises of politicians and the hit operations that have taken place in the city. “We often have raids. No need to have all this ‘tralala’ because every time, it’s the same song. They make a commotion and then we don’t see anyone anymore. He We should have the police every day.”

“I also blame the people who come to buy. Because we blame the people who traffic, but if people didn’t come to buy… Besides, they are generally just wealthy people with nice cars. We see that it’s not the same population.”

A resident of La Castellane

at franceinfo

Consumers, who usually form long queues in the city of La Castellane in front of deal points which are now at a standstill.