The decision is radical and assumed on the part of this elected official from Val-de-Marne. The LR mayor of Villeneuve-le-Roi, Didier Gonzales, refused to grant a Christmas check to a family in his town whose one of the sons was involved in this summer’s riots. The Central Fund for Social Activities of Villeneuve-le-Roi is offering 40 euros at the end of the year to single people, 50 euros to couples, 60 euros to households of three or even 70 euros for families of four.
“I wanted to be able to tell this family why they wouldn’t have this Christmas present,” the elected official explained to BFM Paris Île-de-France, “I called them so that there would be no doubt. It is entirely consistent that we do not contribute, with the money of all the penalized Villeneuvois residents, to give him an exceptional gift for Christmas.”
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Last June, riots broke out in reaction to the death of young Nahel, shot dead by police in Nanterre. The family’s 19-year-old son was among the participants and received a 12-month suspended prison sentence on November 30 for defacing a municipal police station in Villeneuve-le-Roi. He is also required to complete a citizenship course, at his own expense. But the young man assured RTL that he “didn’t break anything” and that he was simply standing next to the police station.
Faced with this situation, the young person says he is ready to discuss with the mayor to convince him to reverse his decision. “It’s not because I did something stupid that my mother has to pay the consequences. If it is a minor, it is up to the parents to pay. I am an adult and it is up to me to pay the costs,” admits the son of the family. Among residents, this decision by the mayor is far from unanimous, according to BFMTV: “It was not the family who wanted to do this.”
