Police chief says rioters ‘are there to kill us’ in French city the place mayor’s residence attacked

Jul 03, 2023 at 4:17 PM
Police chief says rioters ‘are there to kill us’ in French city the place mayor’s residence attacked

The police chief in a French city reeling from an assault on its mayor’s residence has informed Sky News his officers are concerned in “a war” towards rioters “who are there to kill us”.

Eric Vergne has led the response to an assault that has shocked the French nation.

A burning automobile was driven into the front of the suburban home of Vincent Jeanbrun, the mayor of L’Hay-les-Roses within the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mr Jeanbrun was not at residence on the time, however his spouse was compelled to flee the house together with their two younger kids.

She suffered a fractured leg as she escaped.

Mr Vergne attended an occasion to point out solidarity with the city’s mayor.

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‘They’re utilizing Nahel as a pretext’

He mentioned: “People discuss riots, however for these of us who should cope with all this, it isn’t riots – it is conflict.

“The people who are standing in front of us are there to kill us.

“They have Molotov cocktails, they’ve cobbles, they arrive to inside three metres in entrance of us.

“They have enormous paving stones that they throw at us to try to kill us. They don’t want to play with us. They are there to kill us.”

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Mayor’s home attacked in France

Police stand in front of the damaged home of the Mayor of l'Hay-les-Roses Vincent Jeanbrun
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Police stand in entrance of the broken residence of the Mayor of l’Hay-les-Roses Vincent Jeanbrun

A burnt-out car is removed from the scene
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A burnt-out automobile is faraway from the scene

After the assault on the Jeanbrun household residence, the prosecutor opened a proper investigation into tried homicide. Mrs Jeanbrun has undergone surgical procedure and, based on her husband, is unlikely to stroll for a number of months.

Within hours of the assault, the city was visited by each the Prime Minister, Elisabeth Borne, and the Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin.

Mr Vergne mentioned that his officers had been intent on upholding the regulation and restoring order to the world. L’Hay-les-Roses is generally a quiet city. One resident, who has lived right here for 45 years, informed us that she had by no means recognized such a criminal offense to happen.

Read extra on the France riots

Firefighter dies after another night of violence in France
Grandmother of shot teenager Nahel Merzouk calls for calm
What do we know about Nahel Merzouk?

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France riots: Thousands arrested

Nahel Merzouk
Image:
Nahel Merzouk

“We must show them that the republic is stronger,” he mentioned. “We must have a presence. We must be careful.

“We shouldn’t be overtaken by hatred and anger. We should arrest, choose after which present them that we respect the legal guidelines and that nothing is stronger than the republic.”

Major violence has unfold by city areas throughout France in current days following the police taking pictures of an unarmed teenager in Nanterre.