AC Ajaccio and Olympique de Marseille faced each other in a match, Saturday June 3, 2023, at the François-Coty stadium. For this last day of Ligue 1, the Corsican club emerged victorious. Against OM, the score was 1 goal to 0. In the stands, the atmosphere was very tense and several overflows between the supporters of the two teams had been observed, even before kick-off. The same day, RMC Sports reported that around thirty Ajacciens would have fired tear gas at their Marseille opponents, before addressing them insults, some of which were racist. Some supporters allegedly went so far as to attack Kenzo, an 8-year-old boy with cancer who came to support Marseille with his parents. He had been invited to the François-Coty stadium by the association Red ladybugs for Thomas. Sunday June 4, 2023, the mother of little Kenzo recounted this frightening episode of violence at the microphone of RTL. “Kenzo was pushed on the barrier at the level of the armchairs. He punched his face and my husband took two punches in the face.” explained the mother. Almost three months after the facts that had outraged Emmanuel Macron, the three 20-year-old men in question are about to be tried. Two hours of video surveillance were viewednoted The Parisian, Friday, August 25, 2023.
Awaiting the verdict
The defendants deny any violence against Kenzo. “I have a little brother. I could never hit a child”, said one of them, according to our colleagues from Parisian. At the end of the viewing, the public prosecutor Nicolas Septe requested 18 months in prison, 12 of which were suspended, as well as a 1,500 euro fine against the man who committed the violence. “The firm six months that can be arranged in the form of an electronic bracelet”precise The Parisian. The three young men could also be banned from stadiums for five years. “He is a loyal supporter and nothing justifies that. But it shows a kind of drift, and we are right not to get used to it. So I expect the clearest and strongest sanctions to be taken”said Emmanuel Macron, Monday June 5, 2023, according to BFM TV.