Law enforcement dismantles occupied Boule Club en Montmartre
For several months, individuals associated with a local petanque club in Paris have been protesting on their court. Their protest is directed towards plans by a prestigious hotel to expand its restaurant onto the court. Recently, law enforcement intervened to oust these protesters.
On Monday afternoon, approximately 80 members of the "Club Lepic Abbesses Petanque" lay down in a demonstration of resistance. This scene was witnessed by numerous tourists.
The city has intentions to rent out the court, which the club claims to be the largest in the city, to the adjacent high-end hotel for its garden restaurant. By nightfall, the police had dismantled the clubhouse that the club asserts has been recognized as a historical monument for over three decades.
The club has been battling the loss of their "boules ground" for over two years. Over 13,000 individuals signed a petition against their eviction. The club is described as promoting camaraderie and sociability, fostering intergenerational exchange for over fifty years. Its members include artists, artisans, retirees, children, business owners, and the unemployed among others.
The club, which has enriched the charm of the tourist district for decades, attempted unsuccessfully to negotiate a usage agreement with the city. The city justified its eviction action by labeling the petanque players as "squatters without right or title," as reported by the newspaper "Le Parisien."
"It's disconcerting that the police are serving a private business and damaging a protected site," said Nicolas Jammes, the club's president, to "Le Parisien." The hotel's director had already staked their claim to the site in the morning, erecting a banner advertising the future garden restaurant. "We won't set a final point here," stated the club's lawyers, Clémentine Veltz and Margot Lecourt, during the police operation. "We will employ all legal avenues at our disposal."
The petanque court had previously been subject to four administrative court cases before the Council of State, France's highest administrative court, which ruled in favor of the city in April. The club was given fifteen days to vacate the premises, with a penalty of 500 euros per day of delay.
Since the highest court's decision, club members have been maintaining a watchful eye over the site, taking turns day and night to prevent any eviction. On Monday, they faced officers from the CRS, the riot police, who typically handle unrest. However, the eviction proceeded without any violence or injuries.
French left-wing MP Aymeric Caron voiced his outrage over the police action. "This is a tragic day for residents of Montmartre who have been visiting this place for half a century and are now treated like troublemakers." Actor Fabrice Luchini also condemned the city of Paris, even under a socialist-led council, for prioritizing luxury tourism over the popular boules game.
Despite their eviction, the club members will still be able to play with their boules, thanks to the support of a nearby district's petanque club, who have offered temporary use of their "boulodrome."
The petanque club is planning to hold their protests at other popular Parisian landmarks, such as the Champs-Elysees and the Eiffel Tower, to draw more attention to their cause. Despite the eviction, the members of the Club Lepic Abbesses Petanque hope to rebuild their clubhouse in Paris, vowing to continue promoting their love for the game in the city of love.
