Despite the sun and the 30 degrees, everyone kept their white gloves and their impeccable navy suits. On June 28, in Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), even the song of cicadas did not disturb the solemnity of the annual baptism of the National School of Fire Officers (Ensosp). Impassive, the 900 or so students honored that day sang a Marseillaise a cappella. The Minister of Territorial Communities, Dominique Faure, gave a speech.
Director General of Civil Security and Crisis Management (DGSCGC), Prefect Alain Thirion, 62, was also present. His medals of Officer of the National Order of Merit and Knight of the Legion of Honor pinned to his jacket, he reviewed the workforce. On the steps of the platform of the Ensosp campus were displayed, in capital letters, a few words: ” loyalty “, ” dedication “ And “exemplary”. The party continued in the gardens in a friendly atmosphere, while the school choir performed the famous song by Edith Piaf No, I do not regret anything.
What happened a few hours later, during the night of June 28 to 29, in one of the school’s “hotels”? According to our information, Alain Thirion, housed on site, would have entered by surprise, naked, in the room of an employee, before being turned away. The latter subsequently denounced the facts and the Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation on the count of “sexual assault”. “If a most delicate incident for Mr. Thirion led him to seek help from a roommate whose identity he was completely unaware of, the analysis of the situation makes the allegations that are circulating particularly appalling. »asserts to World Me Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, the prefect’s lawyer. It evokes, without further details, facts “absolutely not likely to bear any criminal qualification”. Her client, she adds, “reserves his explanations to his peers”.
One thing is certain: as of July 3, the prefect was suspended as a precaution, as revealed Corse-Morning the next day. An investigation by the General Inspectorate of Administration (IGA) has been opened, the conclusions of which are expected in a few days. On July 5, in the Council of Ministers, Julien Marion was appointed to head the DGSCGC.
The prefectural #metoo?
Is the prefectural body going through an unprecedented #metoo moment? Extremely rare, in recent months, two other prefects had already been suspended, in particular because of accusations of inappropriate behavior towards women. THE chained duck first echoed the suspension on March 21 of Ziad Khoury, then national security coordinator for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Then, by order of the Minister of the Interior and from overseas, Gérald Darmanin, on June 8, the functions of Mr. Khoury were terminated, ” at his request “.
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