Amid the ongoing violence in France, the Unions which represents half of the French police announced on the 30th of June, that they are engaged in a ‘war against vermins’. France has been witnessing violent protests, acts of looting, arson, and vandalism after an officer shot a teenager, Nahel M, outside Paris on Tuesday, 27th June.
As per media reports, two of the country’s top police unions, Alliance Police Nationale (APN) and UNSA Police have warned of a revolt unless the French government provides concrete legal protection to the police.
They said, “Today the police are in combat because we are at war. Tomorrow we will enter resistance and the government should be aware of this.”
In their official communique, they remarked, “Faced with these savage hordes, it’s no longer enough to call for calm, it must be imposed.”
[ #Communiqué ] : Maintenant ça suffit ! #violences #nanterre pic.twitter.com/Fw6sPFZZGQ
— UNSA POLICE (@UNSAPOLICE) June 30, 2023
As per the translated English version, the letter’s heading categorically states “Now that’s Enough”.
The Unions said, “Facing these savage hordes, asking for calm is no longer enough, it must be imposed! Restoring the republican order and putting the apprehended beyond the capacity to harm should be the only political signals to give.”
It also called for unity within the police family. The Unions said that in the face of such exactions, the police family must stand together.
The Unions further asserted that like the majority of citizens, their colleagues too can no longer bear the tyranny of these ‘violent minorities’.
It further read, “The time is not for union action but for combat against these “pests”. Surrendering, capitulating, and pleasing them by laying down arms are not the solutions in light of the gravity of the situation. All means must be put in place to restore the rule of law as quickly as possible.”
However, the Unions anticipate that once things are restored, they already know that the country will relive this mess that they have been enduring for decades.
They also warned the government that in the end, they will be in action and hence require concrete measures for the legal protection of the Police and appropriate penal response.
The letter added that they will also judge the extent of the consideration given by the government, saying that if the officers will not be given greater legal protection and more resources in the future, “tomorrow they will be in resistance”.
This warning comes in the wake of President Macron’s earlier statement on June 28, that infuriated the Unions. Back then, he had described the shooting as “inexplicable and unforgivable”.
[ #Communiqué ] : Une déformation de nos propos par certains politiques ! #emeutes #police pic.twitter.com/3VxzMaey5i
— UNSA POLICE (@UNSAPOLICE) June 30, 2023
Will Emmanuel Macron impose an Emergency?
French President Emmanuel Macron has refrained from officially declaring a state of emergency in the riot-affected areas. Instead, he pledged more police officers to bring back the situation to normalcy.
In response, the union statement released soon after said, “Now is not the time for industrial action but for fighting against these ‘vermin’.”
However, this letter by the Unions representing half of the French Police has not gone down well with several politicians, particularly from the Left-wing parties in France.
Jean-Luc Melenchon is the former presidential candidate for the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party. He tweeted, “Police ‘unions’ calling for civil war should learn to keep quiet. We’ve seen the fatal behaviour this kind of talk leads to. Politics needs to regain its grip on the police.”
Les "syndicats" qui appellent à la guerre civile doivent apprendre à se taire. On a vu les comportements meurtriers sur lesquels débouchent ce genre de propos. Le pouvoir politique doit reprendre en main la police. Ceux qui veulent le calme ne jettent pas de l'huile sur le feu !
— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) June 30, 2023
Greens party leader Marine Tondelier also condemned the Unions’ letter. Tondelier said, “Can we finally say that we have a structural problem in the police? This text is an appeal for civil war.”
The violent spree has been continuing in France for nearly a week now. Apart from countless incidences of arson and looting, the rioters, on June 30, burned down the largest library in Marseilles city in Alcazar.
