The Green Mayor

As I announced in my previous post, the Apéro of September 4 will take place at the Place de la Bourse, in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris. An article at François Desouche relates that Jacques Boutault, mayor of the 2nd arrondissement and a member of the Green Party, sent a dissenting letter to the Prefect of Paris when he learned that his territory was to be the site of the anti-sharia demonstration:
As mayor of the 2nd arrondissement, I feel I must inform you that I firmly oppose, in the arrondissement that I administer, a demonstration that, contrary to its name, makes a mockery of the foundations of our Republic by dividing the citizens of France on religious matters, and that presents itself as a new "anti-Islam Apéro".
In addition, it seems to me that the object of this demonstration presents a serious risk to public order: recent examples of "sausage and wine" Apéros, organized in Paris, Lyons and other cities of France, are proof of this.
While I have confidence in any decision you make, and you alone have the responsibility for such decisions, I feel it is important for you to know my position.
Yours truly,
Jacques Boutault, Mayor
2nd arrondissement of Paris
Note: The latest is that the Paris Prefect has no intention of banning the Apéro "against the Islamist offensive" organized by Riposte Laïque. This, despite the fact that the Prefect had banned the June 18 Apéro.
Mayor Jacques Boutault, according to Le Figaro, had requested that the Apéro be banned because it was identical to the June 18 event that had been supported by the right-wing patriotic Bloc Identitaire. As of now, the Bloc is not participating on September 4.
In 2002 Jacques Boutault became known as "le Khmaire Vert" for having refused to allow children to sing the Marseillaise in his City Hall on November 11.
Shouldn't Boutault have been removed from his post for such anti-French activity? What kind of lesson does that send to children?
Note: "Khmaire Vert" = "Khmer Green". Note too that "maire" = "mayor"
One Figaro reader comments:
- This Boutault, the little "khmaire vert", is quite simply an authentic mini-dictator, who cannot tolerate the exercise and application of the Rights of Man, article 18 in this case. These types of left-wingers want to abolish the freedom of speech of those who do not think as they do. All of this will end in civil war. You'll see. They will pay a heavy price for their ideological blindness.
According to Marianne2, he eventually relented and allowed the singing of the national hymn. Like any good ecologist, "he's mad about organic foods and bike riding, but hates neckties, the nation, parking lots and marriage."
I suggest that all participants bring organic sausage, organic wine from organic grapes, gluten-free bread, and cruelty-free sardines. Do not drive your pollution-generating jalopies. Instead, walk, or bring your bike, or hire a horse - just be sure to have a pooper-scooper. If you are married, be sure your wedding band is not visible. What will the mayor do when he sees all those French flags? If they are made of organic cotton, he will have to swallow his rancor. Remove your neckties - but remember they will be useful when the time comes to strangle him.
Not surprisingly, Riposte Laïque has posted several articles challenging Mayor Boutault to explain himself further. Chantal Macaire, of RL, asks:
Does this mean that you are for the installation of sharia in France? In the eyes of the organizers of the Republican Apéro, sharia is not compatible with the values of our Republic or with the Rights of Man, and that is the reason for this demonstration, open to all French citizens - whatever their faith - who do not want a France that is obscurantist, infiltrated by Salafist or Wahhabite Islam.
Does this mean that for you, sharia is compatible with our democracy? This would betray an unforgivable blindness and a dangerous lack of maturity in a young man elected to represent this democracy and to defend it. (...)
She reproaches him for invoking Article 18 of the Rights of Man:
What is shameful, is that you hide behind Article 18 in order to interpret our poster in an untruthful way. You quote: "... is incompatible with actions that have as their goal, in one way or another, to stigmatize or to seek to exclude a part of the citizenry, on grounds of philosophical, cultural or religious differences."
Where do you see that we are excluding, or stigmatizing? The invitation to join the Apéro is aimed at French citizens attached to the Republic, whoever they may be - citizens who, normally, recognize themselves in the values of "liberty, equality, fraternity" and "laïcité", values that you seem to point the finger at (very paradoxical, coming from an elected official!) (...)
Another contributor to RL, André Vianès is concise:
This local potentate is a juridical illiterate. A demonstration cannot be banned unless it creates a public disturbance. (It cannot be banned) for the crime of having an opinion (or for blasphemy). There is no public disturbance. The only disturbance might come from a counter-demonstration (...) that cannot be controlled. The only disturbance to public order is the provocation by the Green mayor.
The complaints of Jacques Boutault have put the Apéro in the limelight, according to RL. French readers can check out this page for a list of links to websites that have called attention to the September 4 demonstrations, thanks to the remarks of the "Khmaire Vert".
Labels: Apéro, Ecology, Jacques Boutault, Paris, Resistance













