urban rodeos in the Toulouse Stadium car park pollute the lives of local residents
Residents of the Sept-Deniers district in Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) suffer from nuisances due to urban rodeos. The Stade Toulousain car park is regularly used as playgrounds for these fans of motorized acrobatics.
History repeats itself almost every Sunday when there is no match. In the afternoon, the car parks near the Stade Toulousain located in the Sept-Deniers district of Toulouse (Haute-Garonne) are transformed into a real playground for fans of urban rodeos.
Groups of young people gather equipped with their scooters and perform tricks and acrobatics to the rhythm of the roar of engines. “They are about thirty on average, but it depends, it is very variable”testifies a local resident. “It’s been going on intensely for two years but these parking lots have been used for fun for years.”
These urban rodeos continue until the evening or even late at night, a situation that exasperates the residents.
“It’s the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the neighborhood! With the constant purring of motorcycles, and then they drive at very high speed, it’s a real danger.
A resident of the Seven Deniers district
A situation known to the town hall of Toulouse, which specifies that it has already carried out actions at its level to fight against the phenomenon. “By their number, their frequency and their intensity, these rodeos are not as important as those of the Oncopole”specifies Olivier Arsac, the mayor of the Sept-Deniers district. “But that’s not why it shouldn’t be treated. The town hall is really used on the issue and has already acted with patrols and a few arrests. It worked for a while but they came back about 6 months ago.
Following the dramas that occurred during the summer, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin ordered the police to intensify the fight against this practice. An announcement mentioned by the deputy mayor of Toulouse, Olivier Arsac. “We are happy to see that the State is finally making it a priority. The national police have our support and we can support it with our video surveillance and the staff of the motorized brigade of our municipal police.
On the side of the national police, the Alliance union deplores a lack of firmness in the treatment of these urban rodeos. “The instructions must be clear. To be able to put an end to an urban rodeo, it is necessary to be able to challenge the drivers of the vehicles.explains Christophe Marin, union representative in Haute-Garonne. “We must be able to chase the vehicles but these are not our instructions. In recent years, our instructions were precisely not to chase them for fear of hurting them or that they would hurt themselves while fleeing. A policy unlike our British neighbours.
The minister seizes the news but the instructions must follow and be clear to be able to put an end to this phenomenon.
Christophe Marin, union delegate Alliance 31
For residents, the announcement of the Minister of the Interior revives the hope of a fight against these lapsed in their neighborhood.