The French Interior Minister, Laurent Núñez, has assumed to be the “sole responsible” for the security device deployed last October 17, a day on which protests for improvements to the education system led to serious riots in several of the country’s main cities, and he has acknowledged that that day was a “failure”.
Núñez has explained that he is “delighted” to appear before the investigative commission created in the National Assembly to clarify what happened on October 17 and to assess the actions of the security forces, on a day marked by looting in shops and the burning of public buildings, including the City Hall of Limoges.
“It is an opportunity to devote time to presenting my technical analysis,” he said, underscoring next that “it has never (cost him) to assume responsibilities or to render accounts.”
The person in charge of Interior has reiterated that he is “the sole responsible” for the October 17 operation, although he specified that the main error was “not having called for the Police and Gendarmerie personnel to return from their vacations” for that date, which would have allowed the deployment to be reinforced.
In the same vein, he has admitted that “the assessment of October 17 is a failure” and has expressed his regret because “the security of public buildings and shops could not be guaranteed,” while “the security forces have faced violence without precedent.”
The minister has pointed again to the “ultra-left movement” as responsible for the fact that “things degenerated” during the protests, with the intention of “destabilizing” the law enforcement forces, especially in Paris.
Likewise, he has acknowledged a “lack of anticipation” regarding the coincidence of four sources of tension that same day: “a march of 110,000 people to control,” after that “radicalized activists in Place de la République who neutralized the police presence on site,” “unauthorized marches that intended to reach the centers of power,” and “the arrival of vandals and looters.”
Núñez has expressed his regret for “serious injuries having occurred” among demonstrators and high school students, although he has defended the agents’ conduct by arguing that “there are situations in which the context existed for the use of intermediate weapons.”
According to figures from the Ministry, on October 17, 441 protest actions were recorded across the country, with a total of 550,000 participants, of whom 110,000 gathered in Paris.
The mobilizations of high school students have continued over the weekend, despite the Government’s proposal to reform the school system or Parcoursup, since they are calling for its abolition.
In addition, the so-called 'yellow vests' and various trade union organizations have joined the marches to denounce the high cost of living, police violence, and to support the general strike scheduled for November 5.