The facts are irrefutable: these kinds of incidents are almost the order of the day in France. Last year, a total of 357 fights between youth gangs were counted: almost one a day. This is evident from confidential police figures in the hands of the French newspaper Le Figaro.
Victims are getting younger
The number of incidents was therefore 24 percent higher than the year before. Specialists point out that the violence is not only on the rise, but that the incidents are also becoming more serious and that perpetrators and victims are getting younger.
At the end of February, two people were killed within 24 hours in fighting between gangs south of Paris. The victims were 14 and 15 years old. Shortly before, a 15-year-old boy was shot to the east of Paris in an argument with two brothers aged 17 and 27.
And in January, a 15-year-old boy ended up in a coma after being brutally assaulted by a youth gang on the street. When he came out of the hospital after a month, his lawyer told that “the boy still has trouble speaking because his skull was smashed”.
‘French quarters look like ghettos’
“Violence between gangs is not new, it has been around for decades,” says Yazid Kherfi, who himself went into crime at the age of 15 but now as ja youth worker travels through France, seeking out troubled youth and gang members.
“The gang violence has gotten worse. The problems in the disadvantaged neighborhoods have increased. There are many single-parent families. There is a lot of school dropout. And those neighborhoods look more and more like ghettos.”
The young people there usually live in poor conditions and feel detached from society. “And being in a gang makes them feel like they are someone. That they matter,” says Kherfi. “For those youngsters it is ‘us against the rest’. Those gang members used to be angry and criminal. Now they feel hatred and see the others as the enemy. Then things can quickly escalate.”
Hundred additional agents
When two people were killed in February, Interior Minister Darmanin immediately traveled to the affected cities. He spoke about the responsibility of parents and the importance of education. But the measures he announced were repressive: he sent an additional 100 officers into the streets.
“It’s fine if criminals go to jail,” said Kherfi. “But if you also take preventive action, you prevent those young people from becoming criminals. So that is much better. A lot of money is now being spent on security, for police officers, but a bit more could be spent on youth workers, social workers and parents . “
Prime Minister Castex has convened all relevant ministers and state secretaries. Not only those of Justice and the Interior, but also those of Education and Youth Policy. Tomorrow they will discuss gang violence. The prime minister also wants preventive action. Troubled youth need guidance before they really take the wrong turn. “But that is a long-term process,” said the spokesman.
–
