The scandal surrounding Patrick Bruel provokes numerous reactions, including in the city where the artist has been based for more than two decades. The mayor of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Pierre Gonzalvez, published a press release in which he expressed his exasperation at the repeated association between his town and the singer, recently indicted. “I can no longer stand that the image of the City of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is associated with the Patrick Bruel affair”declared the elected official, recalling in passing that “the subject is serious”. A remarkable position given that Patrick Bruel is a well-known figure in the commune of Vaucluse. In addition to residing there for more than twenty years, he recently opened the L’Isle de Leos hotel, a high-end establishment which was to contribute to the city’s tourist influence. Until the recent earthquake. Faced with the media scope of the affair, the mayor therefore intends to dissociate the image of his town from that of the singer.
A mayor “stunned” by the accusations targeting the singer
In his press release, Pierre Gonzalvez also evokes the emotion aroused by this affair. The elected official explains that he feels concerned by the subject of violence against women and insists on the need to hear the alleged victims. “We all have, in our families or among our loved ones, a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend or an acquaintance who may have been the victim of an attack, whether we were aware of it or not. I always considered that women’s words had to be heard (…) and I am resolutely on the side of the victims”he declared again.
Although he acknowledges having maintained cordial relations with Patrick Bruel over the years, Pierre Gonzalvez assured that he had been “stunned like many [s]are fellow citizens, par the revelations surrounding this affair“. While recalling his attachment to the presumption of innocence, he indicated that he expected justice to now be able to do its work in order to establish the facts.
Two new complaints have been added to the Patrick Bruel file
According to information from Mediapartcorroborated by AFP, two new complaints for sexual violence were filed on June 12 at the Nanterre judicial court against the 67-year-old singer and actor. The first concerns an attempted rape and a sexual assault which allegedly took place in October 2007 during the Reunion Film Festival. The complainant, a 45-year-old psychotherapist identified under the first name Amandine, claimed to have known the artist in the early 2000s. From Mediapartshe spoke of a relationship marked by moments that she then judged “valuable” grâce à des “accès privilégiés” at certain events. Returning to their meeting in Reunion, she said: “I open the door, he’s naked, he pushes me against the wall and tries to kiss me, I push him away, I leave.” A testimony which recalls that of Béatrice, an actress who spoke out about an attack which allegedly took place at the singer’s house in Paris the day after the filming of a music video in 2000.
The second complaint concerns rape and sexual assault allegedly committed in May 2012. The complainant did not wish to speak publicly. “We are only at the beginning of this affair”declared Me Jade Dousselin, lawyer for the two women. According to her,“testimonies are pouring in in number”. For his part, Patrick Bruel continues to contest the accusations against him and he remains presumed innocent at this stage of the proceedings.
