Did a “neo-Nazi” concert really take place in Isère despite the prefectural ban?

While the Isère prefecture had announced that a “neo-” concert had taken place on Saturday evening in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier despite a ban, it finally reversed its statements, finally evoking a “gathering”. Here’s what we know.

The announcement of the event circulated in a very closed circle. The “Antiwokism Rock” concert was to bring together five groups for a clandestine evening, Saturday November 18, in an undisclosed location in the Rhône-Alpes region. An event organized by activists affiliated with the neo- movement, according to an investigation by Médiapart And Rue89 Lyon.

Two decrees were issued by the prefects of Rhône and Isère to prohibit the holding of this concert. However, a gathering took place in a restaurant in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, in Nord-Isère, organized by the same figures of the radical far right.

But no concert took place on this occasion, we learned from consistent sources, contrary to what the Isère prefecture had initially indicated before retracting during the day on Monday.

Between 100 and 200 participants were expected at this concert during which five groups were to perform, according to the two investigative media. The announcement poster distributed in a very restricted circle “explicitly uses belligerent and ostensibly provocative symbols towards differences”justified the Isère prefecture in its ban order.

We can see a character dressed in black with a masked face with, next to it, the anti-racist slogan “Black lives Matter” crossed out and replaced by “White lives Matter”), a formula taken up by the supremacists whites.

The headliner, the group Bunker 84, is also “known for her songs celebrating the Third Reich”, notes the prefecture. The group which belongs to the French anti-communist rock scene (RAC) is at the origin of titles like My Kampf – named after the book written by Adolf Hitler, Victim of democracies Or Night and Nebelpraising crimes.

“They’re never doing these songs live againdefends itself with France 3 Alpes the organizer, Renaud M. It dates from the 1990s. These disgusting titles are no longer relevant. » “It was an evening between nationalists but in no way ___s”it still justifies itself. “We are censored, it’s frustrating. I don’t like the societal model that Wokism would like to subject us to, that’s all. »

Renaud M., who says “pro-Zemmour” but “not very interested in politics”don’t pretend “not (be) anti-Semitic for a penny”. “I am a skinhead, a patriot”believes Renaud M. who says he joined this movement to “Fight the scum”.

However, he acknowledges being the former leader of the Lyon branch of the small group Blood and Honor, a network promoting the RAC and neo- music whose French section was dissolved by ministerial decree in July 2019.

The organizers as a whole are also “clearly affiliated”according to the prefecture, to the revolutionary nationalist movement Troisième Voie, also dissolved by decree in the Council of Ministers in 2013 following the death of anti-fascist activist Clément Méric in a brawl with skinheads.

The Isère prefecture, informed of the date and location of the demonstration, issued an order on Saturday November 18 prohibiting the concert from being held, considering that it constituted a “by its very purpose, a major disturbance to public order”.

She judges, in this document, that the event “is likely to give rise to remarks inciting racial hatred and violence (…), in particular (against) people of the Jewish religion, as well as to the apology of the crimes committed by the ___s during the Second World War “.

Five neo- groups were on the bill for the clandestine “Rock antiwokism” festival supposed to be held on Saturday November 18 in the Monts du Lyonnais. Following the investigation of @Mediapart And @Rue89Lyonthe organizer announces that he is canceling his event.

-Donatien Huet (@dodonatien) November 15, 2023

Following the publication of the investigation by Mediapart and Rue89 Lyon, the organizers announced that they would cancel the event initially planned in a private estate in the Loire, the owner having “purely canceled (his) reservation. »

Renaud M. today admits to having planned a plan B by reserving, several months in advance, the room of a restaurant in Saint-Quentin-Fallavier. It is in this context that approximately “150 people”according to the organizer, met on Saturday evening.

If the Isère prefecture initially claimed that a concert had taken place there, it reversed its statement, ultimately speaking of a ” gathering “. “As the latter takes place in a private place, there is no evidence to confirm that a concert took place”indicated the prefect of Isère Louis Laugier in a press release released on the evening of Monday, November 20.

There is no evidence confirming that a concert took place.
Louis Laugier, prefect of Isère

A version confirmed by the Vienna prosecutor, Audrey Quey, who received no investigation into these facts. “It was a gathering in a private place and no one brought to my attention any offense such as incitement to racial hatred”she tells us.

“Information that came back to meadds Ms. Quey, I don’t feel like what he did was a neo- concert. » A surveillance system was indeed set up by the gendarmerie on the evening of the gathering but within an administrative framework and not on instructions from the public prosecutor’s office.

“We didn’t play any music at all. »affirms Renaud M. who, having been aware of the prefectural decree, had taken advice from his lawyer before maintaining this gathering. “To be honest, I just sang a song about Beaujolais Nouveau. » The organizer was interviewed by the gendarmerie on Sunday, after the rally, but claims that no charges have been brought against him.

The singer of the Chambrian group Boots and Creepers, Frankreich, tells us that the Savoyard group – which was initially scheduled to perform at the concert – canceled its appearance on stage following the ban order. Despite everything, he acknowledges having participated in the gathering which he describes as “80s party” with music streaming “via a playlist”. “No concert was observed during the frequent visits of the gendarmerie”he specifies in writing.

The manager of the restaurant rented for the weekend, Arthur Munsch, claims for his part to have never been informed of the content of the event, claiming to have “shocked” and considers himself “blundered”. The organizer acknowledges not having informed him of this.

“I absolutely did not support, participate in or help organize this event. I was misled about the type of people who would be present, their number, the use of my building and the overall context of the service”he assures, adding that no employee of his restaurant was present that evening.

He says he was alerted in the middle of the night by calls from a ” masked number “his interlocutor evoking the presence of “dangerous people” within the establishment, without giving further details. “In an investigation process, I understand that we do not notify the manager of an establishment. But I would have liked to organize an appropriate reaction”He regrets.

A few hours before the event, however, Arthur Munsch noticed that a “small improvised scene (…) with a few instruments” had been installed in the room of his restaurant. When questioned, the organizer remained evasive on this point. When the manager arrived on site at 3:30 a.m. on the night of Saturday to Sunday, all the participants had left the premises.

As the Vienna public prosecutor’s office was not aware of any offense, it did not open an investigation. The Isère prefecture may, however, refer the matter to the public prosecutor under article 40 of the code of criminal procedure.

The text provides that any constituted authority which “anyone who becomes aware of a crime or misdemeanor is required to notify the public prosecutor without delay and to transmit to this magistrate all information, reports and acts relating thereto. »

“No prosecution is planned given the private nature of the premises and the absence of any offense noted”, concludes the prefecture in its press release Monday evening. Because the prohibition order concerned exclusively a ” concert “ and not a gathering.

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