In Chemin-Bas, the Restos du coeur in the drug trafficking zone: “Since the shootings in February, dozens of families no longer dare to come”

Au Chemin-Bas, un équipe de bénévoles motivée aux Restos du coeur malgré le climat d'insécurité du quartier. Midi Libre – K. H.

The departmental president of the association asks – in vain for the moment – a premises in a more "serene&quot area; of this neighborhood plagued by drug trafficking.

At 10 a.m., around this ground floor of avenue Delestraint, which houses the Restos du coeur, the atmosphere is still very calm. "The choufeurs sleep at that time, jokes Michel, head of the center since 2017. We will see them and we will see them will hear shouting from 2 p.m.…"A more or less peaceful cohabitation, "except our trash cans overturned to block the police or the pallet fires in front of the door. We spoke to them, they are a little more careful. Do they realize that their mother or aunt may be coming to help themselves at the Restaurants ?"

Michel, the manager, and Serge, a volunteer, in front of the Restos premises: “The traffic takes place right in front of where a man was killed in a shooting in February”. Midi Libre – K.H.

The concerns of volunteers

But since February, shootings near the Bruguier school in the middle of the afternoon followed by the death of a man in his forties , "there, just in front of our premises", shows Michel, the situation has become tense in this area of ​​Chemin-bas d& rsquo;Avignon plagued by drug trafficking. "It’is an understatement to say that things have deteriorated over the past five years", observes, Serge, volunteer for eleven years here and still not giving up.

“We would like a new, quieter place”

"The elected officials tell us "Luckily you are here !" but my letters remain a dead letter", laments Alain Bourdereau who has the feeling that the association is not considered despite &quot ;its essential social role. On March 22, he wrote to the prefect and the mayor of Nîmes to explain that "the center is in the heart of the traffic" and ask "that the possibility of being transferred to a perimeter which& nbsp;would allow us to regain the necessary peace and quiet for families and our volunteers". Then, on May 6, he asked for help. a police presence around the premises in the afternoon… "We still have no feedback" !

Like Marie, who comes twice a week, and talks about the rodeos under the windows or the recent and impressive police raid and the escape of the choufeurs who were running everywhere. "We were four women volunteers that day, we closed everything and were very scared. Patricia insists, "if it pulls, we will take a right of withdrawal". "We don't even go out to the market anymore", adds Lysiane, another volunteer.

The fear of families

Approximately 45 volunteers take turns to keep this branch of the Restaurants which serves "4 000 meals per week to nearly 500 registered families including 25% of single-parent families, specifies Alain Bourdereau, the departmental manager of the association."Volunteers cannot come with a lump in their stomach, and it is difficult to recruit new ones in this neighborhood". There is no question of abandoning this neighborhood where the residents are traumatized by the climate of violence. "We regularly served 450 families, since February we have fell to 300, worries Michel. It's not because precariousness is decreasing, people are afraid to go out." Coming to stock up, a lady timidly confirms , "I only go out in the morning, I'm too afraid of the shots."

"Leaving the neighborhood would be detrimental, says Alain Bourdereau, who would like another premises in a quieter corner (read box) . "Our mission is also literacy, micro-credit, assistance with health, housing… Our mission is much bigger than the tin can!"

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