France

Riots : What’s next?

- 10:34 pm
Vincent Jeanbrun, mayor of L'Haÿ-les-Roses, talks to the Prime Minister (Twitter)

Vincent Jeanbrun, mayor of L'Haÿ-les-Roses, talks to the Prime Minister (Twitter)

The urban violence shaking the country reveals the weakness of the executive. It has brutally subdued the Gilets jaunes and opponents of retirement at 62, but it is tetanized by the savage hordes destroying town halls, setting fire to vehicles and looting stores.

A sad spectacle! What image of France have we been sending abroad for the past week? Scenes of chaos flash across TV screens the world over. Even Iran is calling on France to “put an end to the violent treatment of its people”! That’s a tall order. Algeria reminds France of its “duty to protect” its citizens. It’s the world upside down. It’s like a dream. The givers of lessons take their lumps.

“A milestone has been reached in horror and ignominy”.

While it’s true that the fifth night of rioting was “calmer” than previous nights, according to Gérald Darmanin, there were nonetheless 10 police stations attacked, as well as 10 gendarmerie barracks and 6 municipal police stations, 871 fires on the public highway and 577 car fires. There were also 719 arrests, and 45 police officers and gendarmes injured. Excuse the understatement.
But this night of chaos was marked by the firebombing of the home of the mayor of L’Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne), Vincent Jeanbrun. Last night, a milestone was reached in horror and ignominy,” tweeted the elected official. My home was attacked and my family the victims of an assassination attempt”.
The mayor’s wife and two children, aged 5 and 7, were forced to take refuge with neighbors to avoid the worst, but were targeted by mortar fire as they fled. Mrs Jeanbrun was wounded and suffered a broken leg.

Monday on the forecourt of France’s town halls

In view of the seriousness of the incident, the Créteil public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the attempted murder. On Sunday, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, Territorial Cohesion Minister Christophe Béchu and Minister Delegate for Territorial Collectivities Dominique Faure met with Vincent Jeanbrun. The government stands by all mayors,” declared the Prime Minister. These attacks and violence against elected representatives are unacceptable, and the perpetrators will be prosecuted with the utmost firmness.”
The attack in L’Haÿ-les-Roses sent shockwaves across the country. David Lisnard, President of the Association des maires de France (AMF), has invited not only mayors, but all citizens who wish to do so, to gather this Monday, July 3, in front of the town halls of all communes, as a sign of protest. They will be wailing their sirens to express the anger of elected representatives, but also of all citizens in the face of aggression and violence.
So what’s next? Do we continue to watch the Franco-French war on TV and the surreal images of store looting? Wait for the barbarian hordes to calm down? If the executive doesn’t put an end to the disorder soon, if the police don’t respond firmly to urban violence, citizens will band together, form militias, arm themselves to defend their lives and property. In fact, they’ve already started.
Is this what we want?

France,