Feminist activists were evacuated from the Parc des Princes by force on Sunday after holding up a banner against sexual violence.
A disturbing banner. Feminists, including environmentalist municipal councilor Alice Coffin, denounced, Monday October 2, the “violent response” from the security of the Parc des Princes to the deployment of a banner against sexual violence, Sunday during the women’s D1 match between Paris and Lyon, won by OL (1-0).
“Last night, we were with Les Dégommeuses [collectif contre les discriminations dans le sport] at the Parc des Princes for PSG-Lyon”, Alice Coffin testified on Twitter, with supporting video. “We displayed a banner in support of Jenni Hermoso and Kadidiatou Diani who denounced sexual assaults. This was followed by a violent response from PSG security.”
“The action was peaceful”
In the video, a security guard asks Alice Coffin, who is seated, to accompany him to the exit, before attempting to take him away by force when she refuses, despite strong protests. “The banner said ‘JENNI, KADI, WE BELIEVE YOU’ #SeAcabo (“It’s over”)“, specified Alice Coffin. The slogan was used by the players of the Spanish selection after the scandal of the forced kiss on Jenni Hermoso by the president of the Spanish federation Luis Rubiales, who resigned on September 10. Kadidiatou Diani, for her part, filed a complaint in June for sexual assault against former PSG coach Didier Ollé-Nicolle, and a preliminary investigation was opened by the Versailles prosecutor’s office.
“The action was peaceful, assured Alice Coffin. We emphasized that it was a feminist message, which denounced attacks, and that responding with other attacks was very symbolic.” According to her, “the head of security, who came to calm his troops, unfortunately a little late, recognized that the intervention methods were dysfunctional.”
And the environmentalist concludes, in reference to the chants sung by thousands of ultras during the match against Marseille on September 24, which remained without sanction from the club: “PSG you are obviously much cooler with homophobic chants than with the ‘we believe you’ that we chanted.” Contacted by AFP, PSG had not responded by midday.