Toulouse: the town hall continues its fight against incivility during weddings
This Saturday, a municipal police officer was injured while trying to frame the procession of a wedding in Toulouse. To avoid these too frequent overflows, the town hall had published a charter. Four years later, it’s a mixed record.
The engine roars. Front wheel towards the sky, a motorcyclist rolls at full speed in the middle of the procession of a wedding in Toulouse. Until hitting a municipal police officer. This Saturday, this drama brought the festivities to a halt. “Before the couple got married at the town hall, the procession was problematic. We had noted numerous traffic violations. We had to call back, ”recounts a municipal police officer.
If this event remains isolated, the incivilities during the marriages reported in the Pink City persist. Weddings are very inconvenient. People are fed up ”.
Reduction of incivility
However, in 2017, the town hall tried to curb this bad behavior, which only concerns a minority of marriages. Its aim was to recall, “the rules of security, civility, citizenship and secularism to be observed”. This charter provides for a series of prohibitions: parking at Place du Capitole and on the access ramp to the car park, and, inside the Town Hall, “sound events”, the presence of musicians, the jet of confetti, flags and streamers …
Four years later, the Capitol notes “improvements” despite “new things that have been grafted.” “There is less music in front of the town hall. I obviously authorize the “ululations” during the ceremony when the request is made to me. But they must be made inside so as not to disturb, ”specifies Christine Escoulan, consultant responsible for the celebration of weddings.
Despite this charter, elements are tough, especially the delay. The spouses must arrive 30 minutes before the time of their chosen wedding. In case of delay, if they arrive 30 minutes later, or one hour after what is requested, without having signaled their delay, the wedding can be postponed to the day but also to another day. The counselor in charge of the celebration of marriages notes “that (the delay) is always a problem”. “The day we really cancel a wedding, maybe some will understand the importance of being on time,” she says.
New rules?
The event of last weekend and the increase in violence against municipal police officers during weddings push the Toulouse town hall to reimburse the charter. I would like us to think about toughening this charter. A meeting should be organized soon ”, advances Christine Escoulan who should soon propose her idea to the mayor, Jean-Luc Moudenc.
The establishment of the card, did not certain insured processions to be fined. “It is clear that the charter has had a positive effect. Some issues have been reduced. But there are still areas for improvement, ”analyzes the municipal police officer. Generally speaking, the police apply a tolerance threshold. Tomorrow, it may not be anymore, the fault of the many abuses.
The essence of what the 2017 charter provides
1. “Under no circumstances may vehicles park on the surface of Place du Capitole, on the accesses to the car park …”
2. “The spouses and their relatives must arrive half an hour before the start of the celebration”. In case of delay, the ceremony may be “postponed during the day”
3. “All sound events are prohibited inside the Town Hall”. “The entry of musicians is therefore prohibited.”
4. “The throwing of confetti, petals or rice is prohibited in the enclosure”.
5. “The display of flags and banners is prohibited in the Salle des Illustres, the Town Hall and its surroundings. “
6. “Noise nuisance is prohibited in the vicinity” of the Capitol. “Drivers undertake to respect the Highway Code. “