After the damage and fire that occurred at the headquarters of the Portuguese ASL about ten days ago, it seems that the garage of the association's president was the target on the night of Sunday, September 22 to Monday, September 23. An investigation is being opened to determine the possible links between the facts.
It was a rough awakening for Manuel Fernandes, president of the Association of Sports and Leisure (ASL) of the Portuguese of Rouen, and his wife, on the night of Sunday, September 22, to Monday, September 23. “I went to bed around 1:30 a.m. and everything was normal. Around 3 a.m., it was the police who woke us up,” says Manuel Fernandes.
The fire did not spread inside the garage thanks to the quick intervention of the firefighters.
His apartment is above his garage, on the Quai du Renaison, in Roanne. When he and his wife were evacuated, they discovered on the street that the wooden gate of the garage was on fire and a car parked in front was completely engulfed in flames. “If the firefighters hadn’t intervened quickly, everything behind the door would have burned down, there was a stock of tyres and the room had a wooden frame,” explains the mechanic. “There was no damage inside, and we were very lucky in our misfortune and were able to go back to bed around 5am, but it was impossible to sleep,” he recalls.
We attacked the association, and now we are attacking its president.
There seems to be no doubt that the fire was deliberate. “It seems that the gate was filled with gasoline and a plastic bottle and matches were found next to it,” reveals Manuel Fernandez. At the Rouen police station, we confirm that an investigation is underway, without wanting to say more.
After being vandalized, the Portuguese ASL club in Rouen appeals for generosity
But it is difficult not to make the connection with the events of September 11 and 12. The association's headquarters, located a few hundred meters from the president's garage, was vandalized before being partially set on fire. “There are quite a few common elements. A five-liter gasoline can was found near the association building, we can make the connection. We attacked the association, now we are attacking its president,” imagines Manuel Fernández.
The association's headquarters was vandalized twice in two days recently. Photo archive Morgan Parmentier
But who? “We have no enemies, we are an association that works for charity, we are part of the social life of Rouenis,” the president of the association affirmed. “We can take sanctions in the event of inappropriate behavior, and that is what we did on July 5, when events occurred in the building, following the broadcast of the quarter-final match of the European Championship, between France and Portugal. Temporary exclusions.” “From the association it has been pronounced,” explains Manuel Fernandes as an example, without of course making any connection to the recent events.
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