80,000 police and gendarmes will be mobilised in France this Saturday in anticipation of yellow vests events. In Paris, we fear new acts of violence.
On the eve of act 9 of the “yellow vests” Saturday 12th January, 2019, the authorities expect a mobilisation “stronger” than the previous week in Paris and “more radical”, said Friday the prefect of Paris police Michel Delpuech .
“We believe that the mobilisation will be stronger than last Saturday on the one hand and that the behaviour within the groups that will be present will be marked by more radical, more temptations of violence”, he declared on CNews.
On the 5th January, the social protest of “yellow vests” had rebounded after a decrease in mobilisation during the holidays: 50,000 demonstrators had been identified by the authorities, including 3,500 in Paris.
Act 8 in Paris was also marked by violence, between the intrusion of demonstrators in the ministry of Benjamin Griveaux with a construction machine and the images of the former boxer Christophe Dettinger hitting gendarmes.
“We see week after week a drift towards more and more violent behaviour,” which is done by “small groups,” commented Mr. Delpuech. According to him, they target “first places of power”.
80,000 police and gendarmes mobilised in France
The prefect confirmed the exceptional security feature planned Saturday, which will return to its level of mid-December. Of the 80,000 police and gendarmes mobilised announced throughout France, “5000” will be in Paris with “14 wheeled armored vehicles of the gendarmerie”.
Faced with the unpredictability of the participants, who like every Saturday for two months have not declared a course for their event, the objective of the police remains “to squarely, to be mobile, to be reactive, to challenge very soon that slippages occur, “said the prefect.
For this, “rapid intervention detachments”, including staff of anti-crime brigades (BAC), must travel around the capital.
Police and gendarmes are instructed to carry out “preflight checks”, to “identify people who come carrying weapons in their bags by destination”, but also “objects of protection that mark an offensive will”, such as “Gloves,” detailed Mr. Delpuech.
Regarding construction equipment, the prefect explained that he gave instructions to limit their presence on public roads during a meeting with the mayor of Paris Thursday.
