What happened to 11-year-old Anna-Chloe, whose swollen face has been making the rounds on social media? Her mother assures us that a college student was the victim of a racist attack on Wednesday, December 15, in the private establishment where she studies, in Chambéry (Savoie). The prosecutor refutes “firmly” this accusation, advancing the thesis of a fall. The principal of the college was placed under police protection after several death threats. Here is what we know about this case.
“Racist verbal and even physical violence”, according to the mother
The message posted on Facebook on Thursday, December 16, has been shared 18,000 times since. It shows the swollen face of a teenage girl, Anna-Chloé, a sixth-year student at the private Catholic college Notre-Dame du Rocher, in Chambéry (Savoie). Anna-Chloe’s mother recounts having been contacted the day before by the college’s CPE, who informed her that her daughter was injured by falling in the yard and that the firefighters had been warned. The child, taken to hospital, remained “two o’clock” in the operating room and had a CT scan showing that she had “a broken nose”.
For her mother, Anna-Chloé did not fall alone. She states in her message that, since the start of the school year, her daughter “suffers from racist and even physical verbal violence”. “I had asked to meet the school officials on several occasions”, she wrote again. She says she was only received “the day she [sa fille] had defended herself by returning a blow that a comrade had given her “ treating her as “dirty nigger”.
She claims to have asked to consult the CCTV images the day after the incident and declares to have been “coldly received” by the head of the establishment, according to which “cameras do not have a backup of events” from yesterday.
The prosecutor “firmly” refutes the thesis of racist aggression
Questioned Sunday on the accusations of racism formulated by the mother of the girl, Jean-Michel Blanquer reacted on BFMTV, announcing that he asked for the opening of an investigation to the rector of Grenoble. “This child has all our solidarity, all our support, as well as her family”, said the Minister of Education, adding: “We must first protect this child and watch what happened with lucidity”.
Jean-Michel Blanquer (@jmblanquer) on Anna-Chloé: “I asked the rector of Grenoble to do an investigation” pic.twitter.com/BApdqsOkiu
– BFM Business (@bfmbusiness) December 19, 2021
A few hours later, Pierre-Yves Michau, the prosecutor of the Republic of Chambéry, refuted “firmly” the thesis of a racist attack advanced by the mother of the teenager. According to “several testimonies”, the student was late when the bell rang the end of recess, he told AFP. She fell on a bench and then to the ground. She has “at once” been taken care of by the emergency services. The teenager was at that time “only” in that area of the yard, he says. According to the lawyer for the director of the college, Me Pierre Perez, there was however “200 people in the courtyard” at the time of the fall and no one mentioned a possible fight.
The principal of the college threatened with death
The case had time to trigger a wave of anger and hatred on social networks. The personal address of the director of the college has been published, “while it is strictly for nothing”, denounces his lawyer to France 3 Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. The head of the establishment was placed under police protection because of death threats received “in number”, adds Me Pierre Perez, assuring that it is Anna-Chloé’s mother who “gave the private address of the principal”. “It is exactly the same process that led to the death of Samuel Paty “, points out the lawyer who announces to France 3 that he will file a complaint on behalf of his client against the latter for slanderous denunciation and incitement to hatred and violence.
Contacted by France 3, Anna-Chloé’s mother says she has “confidence in French justice and in the values of France”. At the same time, she launched a kitty on the internet, hoping to raise 30,000 euros for “pay fees and expenses not covered” because she and her husband have hired two Parisian lawyers. So far, more than 12,000 euros have been raised.
Cyril Hanouna takes sides with the student and his mother
The affair also gained media coverage. Personalities have sided with the student, such as journalist Aïda Touihri (who has since deleted her tweet) and presenter Cyril Hanouna who described the story, on Twitter, as “just inadmissible” : “From the start of the school year [après les congés scolaires de Noël], we will do our best to try to make things happen, we will not let go of her and her family! “ promised the host of the C8 channel.
I learned about this case, what happened to Anna-Chloe is just unacceptable. From the start of the school year, we will do our best to try to make things happen, we will not let go of her and her family! pic.twitter.com/l302HaDtZB
– Cyril Hanouna (@Cyrilhanouna) December 18, 2021
On the side of National Education, the chief of staff of the rector of the academy, Samuel Vitel, says “worried, as much for the young girl as for the educational team ” : “The rush is not for everyone’s benefit, we want to take the pressure off for everyone.”