“Eric Dupond-Moretti placed himself in a listening position and made strong announcements”, declared, Wednesday, August 3 on franceinfo, Lionel Royer-Perreaut, Renaissance deputy for the 6th district of Bouches-du-Rhône, former mayor of the 9th and 10th arrondissement of Marseille. The Keeper of the Seals went to Marseilles the same morning to visit the Baumettes prison extension site and meet local residents and elected officials who are complaining about nuisances.
franceinfo: Is Eric Dupond-Moretti’s visit a good thing?
Lionel Royer-Perreaut: The Minister placed himself in a listening position and I think that the immediate residents of the Baumettes prison needed to be heard because the situation they are experiencing is difficult and improbable. It was important because he came by making strong announcements, in particular the realization of this “screen” which has been awaited by the population for months if not years.
Are the announcements enough to bring calm?
This is the first time that the challenges of the Baumettes prison and the nuisances it generates have been addressed at 360°. There was the Minister of Justice, the prefect of police, the deputy mayor of Marseilles.
“Everyone was around the table to hear the cry of warning and alarm from the inhabitants and to be able to offer answers.”
Lionel Royer-Perreaut, Renaissance MPat franceinfo
There is a medium-term solution which is the construction of this “screen” which will solve some of the problems posed and the need to have a greater police presence in the vicinity since we are confronted with wild visiting rooms and fireworks, we have almost one or two every night. We are at the foot of the Calanques national park, in a very wooded part, in times of drought, I cannot accept that risks are taken and suffer a fire. Therefore, a greater police presence is needed to deter.
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Residents complain about noise pollution. Broken windows will be repaired. But, according to the guards, if the detainees break the windows it is because it is very hot. Doesn’t the problem come from the fact that the prison has structural problems?
The building was not necessarily very well oriented. In Baumettes 3, the elected officials and the population have been better associated upstream so we are moving towards buildings perpendicular to the dwellings, which will avoid all covisibility, and they will be lower.
The problem of broken windows dates back to November when there is no heat or heat wave so we must not lie to ourselves too much. There may be the heat wave effect which increases tensions within the prison, but there is also voluntary damage and this must be treated as such.
“The Minister announced disciplinary action against inmates who break these windows and deductions from their income so that they repay.”
Lionel Royer-Perreaut, Renaissance MPat franceinfo
It is important for everyone to be accountable. I would like to point out that the Baumettes 2 prison has a cooling system even if it is not air conditioning.