For the third time, the Champigny police station, about fifteen kilometers from the metropolis center, has experienced a siege for the third time. This time the attack ended with knocked out windows, police vehicles were also damaged. No one has been arrested.
“It was an organized attack by about forty people who wanted to fight. For the last few days, there has been tension in a group of people who are engaged in battles with the police. There is an anti-police mood here. We were not far from the disaster, “Champigny Mayor Laurent Jeanne told BFM.
“Police officers are especially in shock,” says Jan Šmíd, a CT correspondent in France. “Two police officers barricaded themselves inside, so nothing happened to them. The attack seems to be the next in line, there have been nine of these serious attacks on police officers since the beginning of the year, “he warned.
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Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called on the relevant police prefect to proceed with the utmost rigor in investigating the attack on the station. In a post on Twitter, he indicated that the incident was related to drug crime. “Those bosses will not impress anyone and will not discourage us from fighting drugs,” Darmanin said without further details. The police station is located in a residential area known for street drug sales, Reuters reported.
“There are several reasons why there are so many attacks. First, it was as if the attackers from the suburbs were no longer afraid, before it was taboo to attack the police. Now they are becoming more and more daring. These places are part of cities where police officers no longer go much, where there are almost other laws. Numerically, the police have big problems. There are not enough of them to set up several patrols, the patrols are lonely, so they become the target of attacks. The attackers simply dare to attack them. In addition, the police do not have the resources, “added Šmíd.
The attack on the police station took place several days after three unknown assailants attacked two plainclothes police officers in another suburb of Paris, stole their weapons and seriously injured them. According to the AFP agency, one of the attacked police officers remains in artificial sleep in the hospital.
Police officers are running out of patience
A hundred French police officers then demonstrated in front of the attacked police station on Monday. “We are here to say stop, we have had enough. We want the government to take stricter measures to protect us, “said Bruno Angelo, a representative of one of the police trade unions, in an interview with AFP.
At the demonstration, police officers met with banners reading “our security has a price” and depicting police officers as targets. “We are no longer safe in our own workplace. When we are outside, it is difficult, but now we do not have a moment’s rest even inside, “said an employee of the French Commissioner.
“Police, of course, are urging the government to do something about it, to give them more resources. Today, police unions meet with the interior minister and will be received by President Macron himself on Thursday. The situation is critical, “said Šmíd on Tuesday.
The investigation into the attack from this weekend is also continuing. Police have already found a total of eleven fireworks that were used in the attack. She looks for DNA on them to identify the attackers. Another source of information, according to BFM television, are video recordings directly from the police station and also videos of passers-by circulating on social networks.
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