Shocked by the searches suffered at the entrance to the Le Havre stadium, supporters of RC Lens and Losc reacted on legal grounds. Five complaints for sexual assault were filed in Le Havre by fans of the two clubs following security searches at the Océane stadium, the prosecution said. The searches carried out before the Ligue 1 match between Lensois and Le Havre on October 20 were notably highlighted.
“The Le Havre police station received five complaints for sexual assault filed several days or even several weeks after the match,” said Bruno Dieudonné, Le Havre public prosecutor, adding that “two other complaints are in the process of being forwarded.” “. The complaints were filed “mostly by RC Lens supporters, plus one from a Lille supporter”, relating to Losc’s visit to Le Havre on October 1.
An investigation was opened “on the charge of sexual assault” announced the prosecutor. The five complaints all target “the same person, a security guard responsible for security pat-downs of female supporters”, according to Bruno Dieudonné. He specified that this employee “had never been talked about until then”.
“Invasive” excavations
The complainants reported searches “felt as invasive, suggesting touching of the chest and genitals”, but it will be necessary “to demonstrate sexual assault, and in particular an intentional element”, he added. The hearings of stadium staff have not yet taken place, according to the prosecutor’s office, which says it knows, “and it is an open secret that to introduce prohibited objects, females are used more than males.” .
Contacted by AFP after the match, the Le Havre club explained that the pat-down is carried out by its agents but “carried out in the presence of Lensois stewards (it is the visiting clubs which manage the parking of visitors, even if it is the locals who manage ticket checks and pat-downs, Editor’s note) and police officers”, and “that no comments were reported” on the searches.
“This is the first time that the stewards have been implicated, and the person responsible for the pat-down has never been singled out before,” according to the HAC communication. The club did not want to “question the system”, already tested in Ligue 2 without incident.
