“A race that loves heat and good weather”: the LR mayor of Roanne accused of racism, pleads clumsiness

Yves Nicolin, le maire LR de Roanne, épinglé après des propos polémiques. France Bleu Saint Etttienne Loir – Yves Renaud

Polémique après un enregistrement de propos tenus par le maire LR de la ville de Roanne Yves Nicolin lors d'une conférence de presse de présentation d'une brigade de police municipale locale de nuit.

The LR mayor of Roanne Yves Nicolin was strongly criticized on Tuesday July 2 for comments deemed racist by the Socialist Party of the Loire.“Those who go out at night tend to go out in the summer. They are a breed that likes heat and good weather. “In winter, they are quieter,” the councilor said in a recording obtained by AFP.

He was speaking Monday at a press conference to present a local night police brigade, explaining that its hours could change. His remarks were reported by the local newspaper Le Pays.

Denouncing words "which reflect abject racism, which has no place in the mouth of a political leader", the PS Federation in the Loire asked the Republicans for a "firm condemnation" words spoken by their chosen one.

The PS threatens to withdraw its support for the LR MP before the second round

In the event of refusal on their part, the PS threatens to withdraw its support for the LR deputy for the 5th constituency of the Loire Antoine Vermorel-Marques, in favor of whom it called to vote on Sunday to block the RN .

"Those are not my words and I will never use them. I condemn them", reacted to AFP Mr. Vermorel-Marques, adding that he does not seer "the link between me , my campaign and comments made by Yves Nicolin".

Contacted by AFP, Mr. Nicolin 'apologized" for using the word race in an “awkward” way. "I awkwardly used this word to talk about categories of delinquency but in no case in the sense of the word racism. I wanted to highlight that there was a different type of delinquency in summer rather than in winter, at night rather than during the day", he said, denouncing a "useless controversy".