65 arrests, withdrawals of residence permits… Darmanin raises his voice in the face of anti-Semitic acts and the terrorist threat

2023-10-15 01:38:19

“The line of firmness is extremely clear.” The day after a terrorist attack in a high school in Arras (Pas-de-Calais), which cost the life of Dominique Bernard, French teacher, and a week after the attack launched by Hamas on Israeli territory, Gérald Darmanin gave a press conference this Saturday to take stock of the security measures taken in France in this tense context.

First data announced by the Minister of the Interior: the number of anti-Semitic acts recorded in France over the past week and the offensive of the Islamist movement in power in Gaza in Israel. 189 offenses of this type were counted on French territory, and these gave rise to “65 arrests”, according to Gérald Darmanin.

“Systematic expulsion of any foreigner considered dangerous by the intelligence services”

23 foreigners are affected by these arrests, indicated the Minister of the Interior, who claimed to have demanded the withdrawal of their residence permit. “10 of these foreigners are in administrative detention centers or in prison,” he said.

Referring to the terrorist attack in Arras but also anti-Semitic acts in France since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Gérald Darmanin announced an “extremely clear line of firmness” regarding foreigners. “Identification throughout the national territory of those who are dangerous, systematic withdrawal of the residence permit for those who are foreigners, systematic expulsion of any foreigner (…) indeed considered dangerous by the intelligence services,” announced the minister.

Several associations soon dissolved?

Beyond individuals, Gérald Darmanin also intends to attack associations. “I took the responsibility of sending 11 articles 40 (article which serves to denounce facts or comments to the courts, Editor’s note) to the public prosecutor on associations or people making anti-Semitic comments, apologia terrorism or support for Hamas, including the Palestine Vaincra collective,” declared the minister.

“I asked all the services of the Ministry of the Interior to work on the dissolution of several associations or collectives relaying or sometimes financing Hamas or the movements around Hamas in an unofficial and hidden manner,” he said. he continued, this time not giving the name of the targeted organization.

“I want to reiterate that pro-Hamas demonstrations are prohibited throughout the territory of the Republic,” Gérald Darmanin also recalled, referring here to the few pro-Palestinian demonstrations banned in several French cities last week. Saturday afternoon, Place de la République in Paris, a “wild demonstration” in support of Palestine took place, giving rise to 19 arrests and more than 752 fines.