André Mondange, mayor of Péage-de-Roussillon (Isère), claims to have been attacked by people from the extreme right on the night of Thursday to Friday, December 22. He filed a complaint this Sunday, December 24.
André Mondange, the mayor of Péage-de-Roussillon, in Isère, claims to have been the victim of an attack on the night of Thursday December 21 to Friday December 22, in Avignon. He announced that he had filed a complaint this Sunday, December 24. The facts allegedly took place while the politician was with several members of his family, while he was “traveling in a private setting”, according to the Isère prefecture. He was celebrating his nephew’s history thesis, who was presenting his defense that day, after which the group went to a bar in the old town of Avignon. This diverse left-wing mayor then wore his tricolor cockade, “and people came to ask him what the badge meant, to which he replied that it was a mayor’s badge”, details the prefecture. The evening continues, then the bar closes its doors. It was then that two people returned to see the mayor and asked him about his political affiliation. He then replied that “this was not the place to talk about that”, the men then told him: “there is a good chance that you are on the left”, according to André Mondange.
Beatings and racist remarks
The politician was also with his daughter, who is mixed race. “They said it was not legitimate to be in France, one of them shouted that he was an identity nationalist,” says the man on the left. Four other men would then have arrived, bringing the number of attackers to six, who attempted to hit a member of André Mondange’s family. The chosen one tries to intervene to protect his family. “We were in danger”, facing “armed attacks”, he specifies. The mayor was allegedly hit in the face, around the eye, before the six men left the scene. André Mondange and his daughter filed a complaint, the alleged attackers are still being sought. An event which sparked reactions within the political class. David Lisnard, mayor of Cannes and president of the Association of Mayors of France, calls for a “regal and civic surge”. Cécile Helle, mayor of Avignon where the attack allegedly took place, says she will “get in touch with him to express the city’s support, see how we can support him, show him my solidarity”.