Several thousand people participated, Saturday January 27, in Pamiers (Ariège), in a white march organized in memory of the breeder and her daughter who lost their lives at the beginning of the week after being accidentally hit on a dam of farmers, noted a journalist from Agence France-Presse. “There is a considerable crowd (…) solidarity and emotion have gone beyond Ariège and the world of agriculture,” declared Philippe Lacube, president of the Ariège Chamber of Agriculture, during a press point before the start of the march.
From 1 p.m., thousands of people, dressed in white, with white roses in their hands, began to fill the courtyard of the Pamiers agricultural high school to pay tribute to the farmer, Alexandra, who had studied there, and to her daughter, Camille, who was to begin studies there.
“We are gathered here because a tragedy has happened to us. (…) We wanted to leave the agricultural high school because Camille was to enter this high school in September,” explained Sébastien Durand, vice-president of the FDSEA of Ariège and mayor of the town where the victims’ family lives.
The father is “getting better and better”
The father, Jean-Michel, also hit during the accident and seriously injured, is still hospitalized, but he is “doing better and better,” said Sébastien Durand, after having seen him the day before. Refusing "to allow the drama to be recovered", the organizers insisted that the elected officials "come in civilian clothes", "without a scarf", and that the press "stay away from the procession". “We want to maintain respect and dignity,” they stressed.
Leaving the agricultural high school after a minute of silence, around 2 p.m., the march set off towards the entrance to Pamiers a few meters from the place where the tragedy took place. Farmers, present on the night of the tragedy, according to Mr. Durand, were to hold a tribute banner there, before buses took the participants back to the starting point.
At the end of the march, around 4 p.m., participants were still lingering, placing their roses in front of the banner that had opened the procession, with the message: “Alexandra and Camille, we will not forget you. »
