To combat insecurity in underground car parks, the mayor of Metz announces spaces reserved for women

A measure announced by the mayor after the rape of a woman, at the beginning of August, in the underground car park of a shopping centre.

In order to combat insecurity, the mayor of Metz will reserve underground parking spaces for women, France Bleu Lorraine Nord reported this Friday. This measure was announced after the rape of a 38-year-old woman in early August in the underground parking lot of the Saint-Jacques shopping center.

These locations will be located near entrances, exits, and elevators, so that women “do not have to cross a car park, especially at late hours of the night, which cannot be completely secure, since you can always hide between the cars”, declares the mayor of Metz, François Grosdidier.

The leader of the opposition, environmentalist Jérémy Roques, sees in this announcement a “display measurement”which is not “not the miracle solution”. “Are only women attacked?” he asks. The elected official believes that “the solution must involve human presence and guarding of parking lots at night.”

Furthermore, this measure, if it were applied, has no legal basis in France, and would only rely on the civic-mindedness of motorists, since there would be no sanctions in the event of non-compliance.