It’s a flower, a candle, a letter or a thought… there are hundreds of them in front of number 119 rue Manin, in the 19th arrondissement of Paris. Gestures filled with emotions like so many tributes to Lola. This 12-year-old girl, killed on October 14 and then found in an abandoned trunk in the courtyard of her building. This Monday, October 24 will be the day of his funeral. The ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. in the collegiate church of Lillers (Pas de Calais), the birthplace of Lola’s mother.
Given the excitement aroused by the murder of Lola, her family and the authorities expect that thousands of French people will make the trip to the town of 10,000 inhabitants. The forecourt of the collegiate was specially emptied to accommodate up to 6,000 people. Inside the building, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, the mayor of the 19th arrondissement of Paris, François Dagnaud, or even the principal and teachers of the George Brassens college where Lola was educated.
Almost a moral obligation to come and say “goodbye” to Lola
If the trip puts off many Parisians to attend Lola’s funeral, many spontaneous tributes will be paid to her in the capital. Dounia, a neighbor of rue Manin, has planned to meet other residents at 2 p.m. for a final meditation in front of the entrance to the building where the family had lived until then.
Sarah, 70, is still struggling to contain her tears. She worked for 20 years in the pharmacy just next to 119 and regularly met Lola and her parents, the caretakers of the building. As she would have done for a member of her family, so she insisted on writing a check to financially help these bereaved parents.
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Many others explain that they will be present in Lilles in thought. For those who would like to write it, a notebook of grievances is always available at the town hall of the 19th arrondissement. The students of the Georges Brassens college – where Lola was educated – will pay their own tribute to the start of the school year.
To relocate ?
The drama passed, the ideas still scrambled, several neighbors are planning to move. This is the case of Charonne, 26 years old: “Terror has settled in the neighborhood a bit. Should we stay, should we leave, we ask ourselves the question above all for the good of our children.” A week after the tragedy, Laurent says he is still “ringed”. He knows that “it could have happened anywhere” and does everything to convince himself of this despite the emotions aroused by the terrible news.
Batia is sure that “things will eventually settle down”. In the meantime, she makes sure to reassure young children and warn them with new rules “like not opening the front door without an adult or not getting in the elevator with a stranger”.
Lola’s parents have chosen to leave Paris. They will soon settle in Fouquereuil, in Pas-de-Calais.
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