Shortly before noon, around 20 people are already crowding the sidewalk, enjoying the sunshine before stepping up to one of the four vendors at the Master Poulet restaurant. As recently in Boulogne-Billancourt, a western suburb of Paris, the arrival of this low-cost halal takeaway chicken outlet has caused quite a stir in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, north of the capital.
And here, it has drawn the ire of the mayor, Karim Bouamrane.
It’s a would-be “chicken war” that seems to have attracted a few curious onlookers this Monday. “I’ve lived in Saint-Ouen for more than 50 years and I think people should be allowed to work. It creates activity in our town,” comments Martine, keeping an eye on the four A4 sheets of the Montreuil court ruling posted on a terrace window.
Located at a strategic crossroads in the heart of this town of 50,000 inhabitants, the outlet, though discreet, does not go unnoticed. Beneath the brand’s logo, the mayor is directly targeted: “Karim, public money is not at the service…
