Fear of riots for July 14: “It is out of the question” to cancel, assures Véran

2023-07-06 16:34:35

Could the national holiday this year be compromised because of the urban violence that has erupted in recent days? Despite a lull that seems to have been confirmed since the start of the week, with an average of 18 arrests over the last two nights, President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that he remained “cautious” about the durability of this calm. On the side of the police in any case, there are fears of a return to the riots on July 14.

“We must unfortunately expect a resurgence of urban violence on July 14,” declared Grégory Joron, of the Unit-SGP Police FO union, on Wednesday on franceinfo. Each year, the festivities of the national holiday are already usually marked by incidents, such as damage to property or buildings and scuffles with the police and gendarmes. With New Year’s Eve, July 14 “remains one of the two most complicated nights on our calendar”, recalled Grégory Joron.

Current anger could amplify tensions this year. Faced with the risk of riots, the question of maintaining the festivities therefore begins to arise. However, “on July 14, this day when we celebrate France, it is out of the question to consider that it should fade behind a few thousand rioters in our cities”, decided Olivier Véran this Thursday morning on LCI.

“We must maintain it”, pleads Le Pen

The government spokesperson assured that the State is doing “everything to ensure that the conditions of security and public tranquility are met” for this day. However, if the situation were to deteriorate, decisions will be made “on a case-by-case basis with the prefects”, indicated Olivier Véran. At this stage, “there is no instruction at all to go back on the tradition of July 14”.

Elisabeth Borne also assured Thursday during a trip to Lisieux (Calvados) that the government was “very mobilized to ensure the security of July 13 and 14”, with in particular “preventive actions” to stop supplies of fireworks mortars . The Prime Minister welcomed the major seizures of the day before and assured that the border police and customs were “very mobilized to prevent the transport to our territory of these dangerous materials”.

Asked about the same subject on the set of France 2, Marine Le Pen also pleaded for the maintenance of the festivities. “We are not going to cancel July 14 anyway! “Launched the president of the RN group at the National Assembly. “Does that mean the delinquents and criminals have won?” No ! On the contrary, it must be maintained. “Marine Le Pen also judged the situation” terrible, we are afraid of any event “, referring to the cancellations of concerts and other events last week.

To prevent incidents, the authorities are stepping up their efforts to track the sale and transport of firework mortars, used as weapons during the recent riots but also during each July 14th. Last Friday, the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin issued an order prohibiting the sale and transport of this material but also cans of gasoline, acids and flammable and chemical products. Tuesday evening in Paris, a stock of 400 kg of firework mortars was seized by the authorities.