the hearings followed by a large audience, with “great curiosity to see who these young people were”

On the hundredth day of hearing of the trial of the November 13 attacks, Monday March 28, there are still the barriers, the security gate and the gendarmes in uniform at the entrance to the 80-seat room, located in the palace. of justice opposite the large courtroom. A room with parquet flooring, old chandeliers and benches with worn padding. Here, you have to turn off your laptop: calm is essential even if the box remains empty.

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It is on a giant screen that we follow the hearing alongside the curious, citizens sensitive to the legal thing. A majority are retired, like Geneviève, a former history and geography teacher. “I was very curious to see who these young people were, to understand how suddenly they trigger such sordid events”she says.

“I saw ordinary young people, whose parents didn’t care, who didn’t have a role model, who felt like they were participating in something that uplifted them.”

Geneviève, retired

at franceinfo

Geneviève knows the names of all the accused and does not miss the highlights. She comes on average two days a week and over the weeks has made friends with seniors who are more diligent than her. “It creates a brotherhoodshe agrees. Everyone has their own interpretation, and then there are people who know the law, who inform the others, what is interesting or not… I was told ‘you absolutely have to come on Tuesday because ‘there is Mohamed Abrini who will make revelations’.”

The other half of the audience is made up of young people, high school and university students. “I would like to see a little more of the atmosphere inside, but it’s already super interesting”, judge Oyanna. At 22, the young woman wants to become a journalist. “We don’t have the same feeling but the main thing, the content is there.” That day, the interrogation of Sofiane Ayari, companion of Salah Abdeslam, unexpectedly touched Oyanna. “The defendant who reacted to his lawyer’s question, saying that for him he did not want to talk because anyway there was no hope”she says.

“It’s hard not to have a little compassion, kindness.”

Oyanna, student

at franceinfo

On the bench behind Oyanna sits Sophia, a New York student of international law. “In this kind of business, there are so many emotionsshe says. Despite this, they have the right to a fair trial and the work of their lawyers is interesting. The French legal system is fairer: here, the accused must prove that he is innocent, whereas here, he is presumed innocent, the prosecution must prove that he is guilty. And then Abdeslam, with us, he would risk the death penalty or 600 years in prison. Sentences make more sense here.”

Sentences which will not be pronounced until the end of June. For that day as for the other highlights, a second broadcast room is planned for the public.