The mayor of Mazan assured that “after all, no one died” regarding the Mazan rape trial. He filed a complaint after receiving threatening letters and withdrew from public life for the moment.
His shocking remarks caused controversy. While eyes are on Avignon, where the trial of the Mazan rapists is taking place, Louis Bonnet, mayor of the town, made controversial comments in an interview given to the BBC. “It could have been more serious”, or even “after all, no one died”, he declared. Louis Bonnet apologized last week on Facebook: “I understand that these comments are shocking and I am sincerely sorry.” Apologies which were not sufficient since the councilor was targeted by several threats, as he explained to France Bleu Vaucluse.
“I was threatened, I was insulted. The last thing I was forced to file a complaint about was someone asking for my address from the town hall services to raid a group’s home. me,” confides Louis Bonnet. He explains to our colleagues Free Midday having received “death threats” against him.
His temporary withdrawal from public life
The comments of the mayor of Mazan shocked and provoked anger throughout France so much that he decided not to run at the last municipal council. Some opposition elected officials also decided to withdraw to demand his resignation. The council was also postponed until Monday, due to lack of the necessary quorum. Louis Bonnet does not intend to resign, however, and expresses himself with words that are always clumsy: “The bottom line of all this is that at a given moment when our village is seen as a breeding ground for rapists, it is necessary that people are stepping up to the plate,” he explains. “If there was a slip-up at Mr. and Mrs. Pélicot’s, that does not represent the entire village.”
In addition to these particularly inappropriate comments, “there are several things that are accumulating”, confides Stéphane Claudon, opposition elected official in the town. He mentions the case of the assistant for school life and sports, who continues to carry out his duties even though he was sentenced three years ago to a one-year suspended prison sentence and five years of probation. trial for assault on a minor. In addition, two police officers filed a complaint for harassment against Louis Bonnet. They denounce anonymous letters as well as the use of city cameras to monitor them “during breaks”, according to The Dauphiné liberated. An investigation was carried out in 2023, but without sufficient evidence. Complaints and complaints continue to be filed by agents.