Mayor of Saint-Étienne supports fan groups facing dissolution

The Mayor of Saint-Étienne, Régis Juanico, was present on Saturday at the protest in response to the possible dissolution of the Magic Fans and Green Angels groups following the match against USL Dunkerque.

The city’s mayor also met with a delegation of representatives from the groups at Geoffroy-Guichard stadium after the protest, along with club leaders and Senator Pierre-Jean Rochette.

Speaking to Le Progrès, the mayor expressed his support for the fan groups and opposed the potential sanction:

“We eagerly await the decision of the commission. It would be unbearable and unacceptable if this decision were to come when we are on the verge of a promotion to Ligue 1 in a few weeks. It would tarnish the joy and celebrations we plan to hold on this occasion if the groups were dissolved. We cannot move up to Ligue 1 without our fan groups, it would be unimaginable.”

“We trust the commission. We have sent a unanimous letter from all parliamentarians in the Loire, and have had several meetings with the club. Today, we assert that targeting the Saint-Étienne supporters is a mistake. They are not racist or violent, they are there to liven up the stands and uphold a popular football culture. We do not want a sanitized football. We want to defend a culture of popular football, and they embody it best.”