It’s time to take stock after the week of riots in France. While violence is still recorded sporadically, the figures for arrests, fires and injuries are low. According to Gérald Darmanin, 10 investigations are entrusted to the IGPN and the IGGN on the actions of the police.
Another night of calm in France. This Thursday, July 6, there are no significant incidents to report. In its daily report for seven days, the Ministry of the Interior reveals an appeasement throughout the territory after several days of riots following the tragic death of Nahel, victim of a shot by a police officer during a refusal to comply in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine).
The broadcast of a video showing the fatal police shooting at this 17-year-old young man first set the city of Nanterre ablaze. The horror of these images gave way to immense anger. While a demand for a demanding control of law enforcement was at first at the center of the demands, the situation led to violent outbursts. Since June 27, scenes of damage, looting of shops, fires of public buildings abound on social networks.
However, the announcement of the death of a 27-year-old man in Marseille following a “flash-ball type” shot could potentially reignite the fire. An investigation for “fatal blows with the use or threat of a weapon” was opened by the Marseille prosecutor’s office while the General Inspectorate of the National Police was also seized. Franceinfo indicates that “the victim, who was traveling on a scooter, was discovered in Cours Lieutaud, in the city center.” He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital.
A 25-year-old young man has been in a coma for five days in Meurthe-et-Moselle after being injured on the sidelines of violence in Mont-Saint-Martin. The victim was reportedly hit in the head by a ‘Bean Bag’ shot. This “intermediate” type weapon is a non-lethal projectile with a bag containing balls. The Val de Briey prosecutor’s office entrusted the IGPN with a investigation for “willful violence by a person holding public authority”.
Eight other files are in the hands of the IGPN or the General Inspectorate of the National Gendarmerie according to a count by Gérald Darmanin during a hearing at the Senate Law Commission on Thursday July 5. The Minister has not, at this stage, communicated further on these other files, pending clarification.
One fact particularly marked the nights of last weekend, the attack on the home of the mayor of Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne). A ram car smashed through the gate before being set on fire, “with the clear intention of setting fire to the mayor’s home” according to Le Figaro. Vincent Jeanbrun’s wife broke her tibia while fleeing her home while she and her two children were targeted by mortar fire.
In response, a large police force was deployed for at least five days in France with more than 45,000 police officers and gendarmes present to secure the streets. Units like those of the BRI, RAID, GIGN and Republican Guard were even deployed, something rather unusual for law enforcement missions. Will this help dampen these riots in the coming days? We take stock.
One of the main indicators of the harshness of the night for the police remains that of arrests. These data, published nationally by the Ministry of the Interior, make it possible to measure the extent of the events over the past hours. However, no details are given on the places or reasons for the arrests. No more than on the follow-up given to these arrests. However, the youngest person arrested at 11 and the oldest at 59 according to Gérald Darmanin. A third of these people are minors. 10% of those arrested are not French.
These data, provided only by the services led by Gérald Darmanin, also specify the number of injured in the ranks of the authorities, namely the police and the gendarmerie, but also among the firefighters, strongly mobilized in the context of the various fires started. On the other hand, Beauvau does not specify whether injuries were identified among the rioters.
Most of the abuses committed by people participating in this urban violence are concentrated around the burning of vehicles and damage to buildings, especially public ones, which are sometimes set on fire. Here too, the Ministry of the Interior publishes a daily count of these types of events throughout the country, making it possible to measure part of the extent of the damage.
These riots are reminiscent of those which had previously affected France in 2005 following the death of Zyed and Bouna, as well as those of 2007 following the death of two teenagers who were traveling on motorcycles, hit by a police car . They had each lasted between two and three weeks.
