Meat skewers, street sales, crowded platforms… Garges – Sarcelles, “the worst station in Île-de-France”?

Meat skewers, bottles of bissap (hibiscus juice) and grilled corn. No, we are not in a restaurant kitchen but of course in the forecourt of Garges – Sarcelles (Val-d’Oise) station, on the RER line D. Lunch this Friday, boils as soon as you leave the gate. In the crowd, Nadia, 42, slipped between a makeshift brazier installed in a shopping basket. “This is of course folklore,” he said. I even find it practical. You can have a snack before boarding the train. »

These crowds are often seen in videos shot around the station and shared on social networks by accounts affiliated with far-right groups. Content that Ahmed puts in perspective: “If you don’t come from here, you will be surprised. I see comments on the network that tell you that this is not France, that this is a lawless zone… Nothing has ever happened to me personally here.”