The Minister of the Interior reports a 20% drop in the number of vehicles burned, 10% in arrests and 80% in mortar fire compared to the previous year.
Gérald Darmanin, took stock of New Year’s Eve in France this Monday January 1 and expressed, from a police station in Montargis, his satisfaction with the progress of the festivities. Relying on a reinforced security system, with 90,000 police and gendarmes mobilized, notably 6,000 in Paris, the Minister of the Interior stressed that the celebrations, particularly in Paris, took place in a “calm” and festive, with more than a million people gathered without major incident.
Official figures report 745 vehicles burned, a significant drop of 20% compared to the previous year, as well as a 10% reduction in arrests and 80% in mortar fire. Gérald Darmanin highlighted these figures as a success of the security strategy put in place.
Although the majority of celebrations went smoothly, there were a few isolated incidents. A total of 381 arrests took place nationwide, with minor scuffles reported in Bordeaux and Nîmes. In Bordeaux, the use of mortars and an attack on police officers were mentioned, while vehicle and trash fires took place in Colmar, with a lower number of interventions than in previous years.
Gérald Darmanin affirmed that the police had done an “extremely severe” job to maintain order and ensure the security of the festivities. He also noted that there had been 40% fewer injuries among the police compared to the previous year, i.e. “around forty officers very lightly injured during their interventions”, underlining the effectiveness of security measures.
This evening of the 2024 New Year, seven months before the 2024 Olympic Games, was particularly observed, as a test to gauge France’s capacity to manage large gatherings without major incidents.
