Overview
- The Nancy administrative court, in emergency proceedings, suspended Mayor Samuel Hazard’s order and cleared the Mass to be held Saturday at Saint‑Jean‑Baptiste church in Verdun.
- The judge found the ceremony, considering its date and location, was not in itself likely to cause public disorder.
- The ruling reiterated that freedom of worship is a fundamental right and that any restrictions must be necessary, adapted and proportionate.
- The ceremony is organized by the Association for the Defense of Marshal Pétain’s Memory, which says it has written authorization from the apostolic administrator in Metz.
- The mayor condemned any homage to Pétain and expressed strong disappointment, while the Meuse prefecture prepared a small police presence and reported no specific threat.