• On December 8, while the demonstration "Lugdunum Suum" had been banned by the prefecture of the Rhône, between 200 and 300 identitarians had nevertheless participated in a procession on the heights of Fourvière in Lyon.
  • This Tuesday, only one of the executives of the collective of the Remparts will be tried before the criminal court.
  • He is on trial for "organizing and participating" in the rally. Explanations.

He is the only one to appear before the Criminal Court of Lyon. Sinisha Milinov, a 21-year-old student, who presents himself as one of the executives of the association Les Remparts de Lyon, is to be tried on Tuesday for having "organized and participated" in the demonstration "Lugdunum Suum", on December 8 during the Festival of Lights, despite the ban set by the prefecture of the Rhône. An update on the case.

What is "Ludgunum Suum"?

It is a procession, generally translated "Notre Lyon", relayed by identity circles, which aims to defend the Lyon tradition and pay homage to the Virgin Mary. Not to be confused with the torchlight ascent, organized each year by the diocese, although the two events are often concomitant.

On December 5, 2022, the Rhône prefecture had taken the decision to ban this demonstration "likely to generate serious disturbances to public order" in view of "recent violence committed by activists of radical movements".

What are the Ramparts?

Born on the ashes of Génération identitaire – a movement dissolved in March 2021 – the collective has distinguished itself several times in Lyon. On October 21, 2022 in particular, when several activists or relatives of identity circles chanted "immigration kills" or "immigrant murderers", during a wild demonstration to demand justice for the young Lola, killed in Paris.

The next day, the mayor of Lyon Grégory Doucet had immediately asked for the "immediate dissolution" of the collective, also demanding the closure of places frequented by identitarians. More recently, the association tried to recover the case of Axelle Dorier, the young woman who died after being dragged 800 meters by a car on the heights of Fourvière. On the eve of the trial, which took place from 17 to 20 January, the collective distinguished itself by spilling fake blood at the scene where the victim was found. Then had demonstrated in front of the Assize Court of the Rhône, on the evening of the verdict, to contest the sentences pronounced.

Why only one defendant?

On December 8, between 200 and 300 activists waving Lyon flags defied the ban to climb the hill of Fourvière, mingling with the torchlight ascent, without being worried by the police. No arrests were made that evening. "An intervention is possible only if distinctive signs make it possible to characterize the Lugdunum Suum gathering. This was not the case, "justified the prefecture of the Rhône.

If Sinisha Milinov finds himself alone before the criminal court, it is because he spoke with his face uncovered in front of the cameras of BFM TV to justify his presence on the scene and his participation in the forbidden procession. It was therefore not difficult to identify him afterwards. The Lyon prosecutor's office had also announced to Le Progrès on December 14 that the young man with a moustache, who describes himself on his Twitter account as "Strong pecs tuned to his ultra deep voice" to use the words of an article in the Parisian in which he was interviewed, was prosecuted for "having organized and participated" in this procession, without giving his identity.

  • Justice
  • Identity
  • Lawsuit
  • Lyon
  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  • Rhône-Alpes