This Sunday, the party resumed its rights at the carnival of Strépy-Bracquegnies. One year after the tragedy which claimed the lives of 6 people and injured dozens of others. This afternoon, there were many people to applaud the carnival procession. All shared between the desire to turn the page but never to forget.
Launched by thunderstorms, drums and clogs, the carnival of Strépy-Bracquegnies began this Sunday and the crowd was there.
“There is a whole other public who joined us, in support, in solidarity. I think there were 3,000 people here. It’s a very, very strong moment”, declared Jacques Gobert, the mayor of La Louvière.
The victims of last year’s tragedy are still remembered, but the atmosphere remains festive.
“This morning at 4 a.m., we had this thought, but we must say to ourselves that the people who experienced the accident or those who lost their lives would have told us to do the carnival, to continue it”, said one participant.
Amélie is one of the victims of the driver who drove into the crowd. “I’m still stuck in my chair. I still don’t know how to do things in life, like before,” she confides.
But no question for her to miss the festivities. “It’s true that it stirred a lot of things when it arrived. Then afterwards, the good took over. We’re in it. There’s family, friends, and we feel this joy of carnival again”she adds.
Fireworks are scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The party will continue this Monday with a nocturnal procession, and Tuesday with the burning of the bumps.