RETRO 5/12. Olympic flame in Occitania, nonagenarian throat slit by a dog… the events that marked the region in May 2024

At the end of the year, Midi Libre invites you to rediscover the events that marked the region in 2024. Today, we look back at the month of May.

OCCITANIA DECLARES ITS FLAME AT THE 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES

An enthusiastic crowd greeted the passage of the flame. Midi Libre – JEAN-MICHEL MART

The Olympic flame lit up Occitanie on May 13, 2024, passing through Sète, Millau and Montpellier. In Sète, after a boat crossing, it set the hearts of the inhabitants ablaze, under the sign of the sea and local traditions. In Millau, the torch was carried on its famous viaduct by the triple roller world champion Taïg Khris, embodying the meeting between sporting prowess and architectural heritage. An enthusiastic crowd, including many children, greeted its passage, reflecting the pride of this city focused on outdoor sports.

Finally, in Montpellier, the flame passed through emblematic places such as the Avenue de Lodève, where torchbearers, including the journalist from Midi Libre Dominique Mercadier, experienced four minutes of eternity. While waiting for his relay, the last of the day, decathlete Kevin Mayer exchanged a few balls with the Lebrun brothers, uniting all generations around the spirit of the Games.

FIRECRACKER THROWED DURING MONTPELLIER-CLERMONT: SUSPENDED SENTENCE AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

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A firecracker thrown by a supporter had exploded near Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw. MAXPPP – JEAN-MICHEL MART

On October 8, 2023, during the 8th day of Ligue 1 at the Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, a firecracker thrown by a supporter exploded near Clermont goalkeeper Mory Diaw, leading to his evacuation on a stretcher and a one-day ITT. The match, stopped in the 91st minute, was replayed on November 29. The 25-year-old supporter was prosecuted for “violence with use or threat of a weapon resulting in an ITT of less than eight days” during a sporting event and “use of a rocket or fireworks in a sports venue”.

On May 16, 2024, he was sentenced by the Montpellier Criminal Court to a 6-month suspended prison sentence, an 18-month stadium ban and an obligation to report to the police at each MHSC match. His accomplice, who supplied the firecracker, was sentenced to 140 hours of community service and a one-year stadium ban.

NINETY-YEAR-OLD WOMAN'S THROAT SLAUGHTERED BY A DOG IN A CEMETERY NEAR QUISSAC

The animal, which had escaped from a nearby farm, severed her carotid artery. Illustration

Annette Guibal, 93, former mayor of Canaules-et-Argentières in the Gard, was fatally attacked on May 28, 2024 by an Argentinian mastiff in the town's cemetery, where she had come to pay her respects. The animal, which had escaped from a neighboring farm, severed her carotid artery. An 18-year-old intern present at the scene initially mentioned a stray dog ​​before admitting to lying at the request of the 42-year-old breeder.

The two women were charged with involuntary manslaughter, with the owner also suspected of altering the crime scene. Placed in pretrial detention, the breeder was released on August 29, 2024 by the investigating judge, despite the prosecution's requests to the contrary. The investigation, marked by lies and cover-ups, continues to clarify the responsibilities in this tragic drama.

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