without the police and the gendarmerie, “there is no demonstration”, says the prefect of police of Paris

2023-05-02 13:37:55

The “thugs were very determined”, with “the desire to do battle”, explains the prefect of police of Paris on franceinfo the day after the mobilizations of May 1st enamelled with violence.

“Without us”the police and the gendarmes, “there is no demonstration”, affirms on franceinfo the prefect of police of Paris, Laurent Nuñez, the day after the demonstrations of May 1st. Nearly 800,000 people marched in France according to the Ministry of the Interior, 2.3 million according to the unions. Overflows broke out in Paris, Nantes or Lyon. In Paris, 305 people were arrested and 259 police officers and gendarmes injured, including “31 taken to hospital”, says Laurent Nuñez. One policeman in particular was “severely burned in the arm, hands and face”. In France, 61 demonstrators were injured, including 32 in Paris, said Gérald Darmanin on Tuesday morning.

Of the 305 arrests carried out on Monday, on the sidelines of the May 1 demonstration in Paris, 258 led to police custody, the Paris prosecutor’s office told franceinfo on Tuesday.

>> May 1 mobilization against the pension reform: follow our live

“Despite the de-escalation strategy” law enforcement, “we saw great violence in the pre-cortege”made up of 20,000 people, including “1,500 to 2,000 radical individuals”. of the demonstration on Monday, according to him, lies in “the level of violence” who has “greatly exceeded” that of the first twelve days of demonstration against the pension reform.

Actions “always proportionate”

“Without us, there is no freedom to demonstrate”repeats Laurent Nuñez, “because these thugs prevent the procession from advancing” or “return to the union square”. Laurent Nuñez assures that the actions of the police and gendarmes are “always proportionate” et “in response to the thugs” : the agents “stay very far away, first observe the first damage then intervene after a while when there is so much that order must be restored.”

“It hits especially on the side of the breakers”defends the prefect of police of Paris while the strategy of maintaining order is criticized. “There’s not much we can do” against radical demonstrators, concedes Laurent Nuñez “there must be a criminal offense” to challenge them because “we are in a state of law”.