Eric Drouet – one of the figures of the Yellow Vests, although he has always denied having any leading role in the movement, since the movement professes having a horizontal structure- was handed a €2,000 fine, 500 of which is suspended, on March 29th in Paris because he went to lay flowers at a makeshift monument under the Arc de Triomphe devoted to wounded Yellow Vests.
He was fined for the “organization” of two demonstrations in Paris “without obtaining a sanction prior” in December and January. His lawyer, Khéops Lara, announced to the press that he was going to appeal.
The 34-year-old driver was not present to hear his judgment, “for professional reasons”, according to his lawyer. This decision comes the day before the 20th Saturday of mobilisation since this social movement started in mid-November. At the hearing on February 15th the state prosecutor’s office requested a suspended month’s imprisonment and a €500 fine against him. Eric Drouet denied having organised demonstrations on December 22nd and January 2nd in Paris.
“I have no role as organizer or leader in this movement,” said the 34-year-old father, who was one of the initiators of the first national Yellow Vests campaign on November 17th by creating a Facebook entitled “National blockage against the rise of fuel costs”.
The prosecutor claimed that “Eric Drouet showed that he is an organiser of the movement” and should’ve made a preliminary statement about the event to “allow to preserve public order”. On December 22nd Eric Drouet signed a statement for a demonstration in Versailles, but in the end went to Paris and was arrested near the Champs-Elysees. On January 2nd, he said he wanted to “just go to a restaurant” with friends, when he was arrested near the Champs-Elysees.
Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved.