At the meeting of the French Remembrance Society at the Daniel-Cordier House in Béziers on Saturday, February 14th, during which he crossed paths with Mayor Robert Ménard, departmental councillor Jean-Louis Respaud decided to file a complaint for public insult. The mayor allegedly called him “fumier” (manure) at the end of his speech.
“I have sent a letter to the prefecture and the sub-prefecture, who are guarantors of democratic life. Another to Kléber Mesquida (the president of the Department), and I am filing a complaint with civil party participation. I have been subjected to insults and comments for three years,” Respaud expressed, showing his dissatisfaction.
The departmental councilor, elected with the support of Robert Ménard but then distanced from him nearly four years ago due to political differences, is determined not to let this incident pass.
“He stepped down from the platform and called me ‘fumier’,” Respaud explained. At the meeting of the French Remembrance Society in Béziers, Ménard’s speech seemed to have direct references to me,” Respaud described the sequence of events.
Ménard, when approached by Midi Libre, responded saying, “I would never have publicly insulted him, I simply expressed my view of him privately.” In his view, the conversation was meant for private discussion.
Respaud, who switched to the National Rally after a stint at Reconquête, is on Julien Gabarron’s list, the RN candidate for the mayor of Béziers, which Respaud believes has intensified the acrimony.
Respaud, a lecturer at the University of Montpellier specializing in economic law, has decided to take legal action. On Tuesday afternoon, he personally went to the Béziers court to file a complaint for public insult with civil party participation with the senior investigating judge.
This particular procedure was made possible by the nature of the allegations. “And I have four direct witnesses. All of this has given me energy for months,” Respaud affirmed. “Violence, including verbal violence, has no place in politics.” The municipal election campaign period is seen as an opportune time to address this issue.
