This was an important visit for the Minister of the Interior, even more so when dramatic news once again affected the city of Marseille. Laurent Nunez traveled to Marseille on Thursday, November 20 to meet with those involved in the fight against drug trafficking. He will be accompanied by Gérald Darmanin, Minister of Justice. The two men will first go to Baumette prison, then Laurent Nunez will talk to Benoît Payan, the mayor of Marseille. At 14.00, the two ministers will meet Mehdi Kessaci’s family, without being invited by the press. Later, Laurent Nunez will speak with local elected officials before completing his trip to the diocese. That’s when he will speak to the press. Follow our live stream.
• “Wake up, let’s fight.” Guests at 8 p.m. news on France 2, Wednesday evening, Amine Kessassi hopes that the white march held on Saturday in honor of his brother can cause a surge in public opinion. “Today, more than 100,000 people need to mobilize. This Saturday, there is a mobilization at the roundabout where my brother was killed. Thousands of us have to stand up,” he stated. “The Republic has been tested, I experienced a terrible tragedy, I don’t know how I can rise tomorrow”he continued.
• Call for national unity. Mayor Benoît Payan called on Marseille residents to participate in the white march organized on Saturday in honor of Mehdi Kessaci, while the investigation moves, among possible leads, towards the intimidation murder of his brother Amine Kessaci, committed against drug trafficking. “The response that must be given first is a form of national unity. This also means telling the people who committed this murder that we are not afraid of them.”Benoît Payan told AFP.
• Arrival of a new prefect. Jacques Witkowski was appointed prefect of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region on Wednesday by the Council of Ministers. This is Emmanuel Macron’s choice. Aged 62, he has been based in Strasbourg for a year in the prefecture of the Grand Est region, following a three-year stint at the head of the Seine-Saint-Denis prefecture culminating in the 2024 Olympics. The position has been vacant since former prefect Georges-François Leclerc joined the Elysée as Emmanuel Macron’s chief of staff in October.
Justice is seeking testimony. Franceinfo guest Laure Beccuau, Paris public prosecutor, wants to encourage French people who have information about drug traffickers to testify to help investigators. “The law allows us to collect these testimonies anonymouslyhe assured. We will take great care to protect them.” “Residents of this neighborhood should not feel left out”estimated the Paris public prosecutor.
