Diversion of a garbage truck: two trade unionists condemned to work of general interest

Two drivers of the City of Paris, arrested at the end of May aboard a trash truck which they wanted to pour the contents in front of the seat of the Republic in March, were condemned Wednesday to 70 hours of work of general interest.

This sentence, proposed by the parquet floor of Paris and accepted by these two union members in a plea bargain of guilty plea, has been certified by a judge in a short public hearing.

If the two men convicted of "fraudulent subtraction" of the dumpster, do not perform this work under 18 months, they risk two months in prison. The conviction will not be recorded in their criminal record.

On May 25, the two members of the CGT FTDNEEA union (waste treatment, cleaning, water, sewerage, sanitation) had ordered an officer driving a garbage truck into the 17th arrondissement of Paris to leave their vehicle, which they then drove to the Place de l'Opera.

They were arrested before being able to reach the presidential party headquarters, while more than a hundred garbage collectors, energeticians, railwaymen and sewer workers entered it briefly to cut water, gas and electricity. electricity, in order to demonstrate the indispensability of public services.

The city suspended them from their duties and Mao Péninou, deputy in charge of cleanliness, deplored this action and the fear it had provoked, recalling the "current terrorist context".

Jean-Jacques, 56, and Christian, 58, two officials with excellent service, told the court that they thought only "trade union action" and not realized at the time that their action would raise the fear of an attack. The police had arrested them "weapons in the fist", recalled the judge.

The lawyer of the City of Paris considered that "to have trade union demands does not allow any".

Each of the two trade unionists will have to pay the City of Paris a symbolic euro for damages for image damage, and 500 euros for legal costs.

Come to support the two men, a hundred people had gathered at midday in front of the court. "Activists, not thugs", had chanted the demonstrators, gathered at the call of the CGT and bearing flags in the colors of the union.

Their disciplinary council was postponed to September.