Paris Police have formed a task force to investigate violence and vandalism, warning perpetrators they will use all tech means, including CCTV and social media, to track them down. This comes amid unrest linked to a revival of the "yellow vest" movement.
“Their mission: to comb through all reports and all available images, whether they come from video surveillance, shop cameras, or social media networks,” the post stated.
Outlining the police response, the Prefect said the approach would rest on three complementary pillars: deterring violence through a visible presence on public roads, arresting perpetrators caught in the act, and pursuing investigations after the incidents under the authority of the prosecutor's office.
“I say it clearly to the vandals: our investigators will mobilize all the technical means at their disposal to identify and track you down,” the post added.
The Paris Police Prefect also appealed to witnesses to share evidence with the authorities, including footage that could help investigators identify those involved in violence and vandalism.
“I also call on all witnesses to violence or vandalism to send their videos to the police services,” the statement said. “There can be no room for ‘if’ when attacking security or emergency forces or when looting other people's businesses,” it added.
French Senator decries 'chaos', blames far-left
Separately, Gerard Larcher, President of the French Senate, senator for Yvelines and former minister, expressed solidarity with law enforcement personnel, firefighters and municipal workers who responded to the incidents.
In a post on X on Sunday (local time), Larcher said, “The chaos. We lived through the chaos. Scenes of rare violence.”
He conveyed the Senate's recognition to police personnel, firefighters and municipal agents who worked through the night to clean affected areas.
“I mean, on behalf of @senat, the Nation's recognition for our law enforcement forces and the firefighters mobilized yesterday, but also for the municipal agents who cleaned all night, for hours on end,” he said.
Larcher also expressed concern for shopkeepers whose businesses were damaged during the violence.
“I think of the shopkeepers, who watched, powerless, as the fruit of their labor was trampled, looted, ransacked, set ablaze, all those who this morning must start everything over again,” he said.
Blaming what he termed hate speech and the alleged exploitation of the situation by the far left, Larcher added, “That is the fruit of hate speech, that is the result of instrumentalization by the arsonists of the far left, that is what happens when one judges that violence can be legitimate.”
Calling for action beyond statements of condemnation, he said, “The observations and incantations are no longer enough.”
“The French people demand answers on the failures that led to this disaster and actions at last to remedy it!” Larcher added.
Macron slams 'failures' amid widespread unrest
Meanwhile, on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron slammed security “failures” that he said led to violent protests across the country, but rejected the resignation of Interior Minister Laurent Nunez amid the crisis, France 24 reported.
At least 2,400 people were arrested following the unrest, which saw town halls set on fire and hundreds of businesses looted or damaged, according to France 24.
“The interior minister submitted his resignation to the president on Sunday,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement. “Given the necessity for continued leadership of law enforcement at this time, the president refused.”
Macron had asked Nunez to “take all necessary steps to ensure transparency over the failures in planning and intelligence that led to the violence” and “put in place new operational methods for security forces” to handle the crisis, the statement said.
The protests followed calls from labour unions, student organisations and activists seeking to revive the “yellow vest” movement, which emerged in 2018 to protest social injustice.
Authorities estimated that Saturday's largely peaceful marches drew around 550,000 people, while organisers put the turnout at 800,000, France 24 reported. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)