### Five Applications from Municipal Police Officers in Saint-Denis Sent to Nice: Announcement by Éric Ciotti Amid Political Disagreement with Bally Bagayoko on Arming Agents. In Nice, Recent Incidents Rekindle the Security Debate.
The announcement comes in a tense political climate. **Éric Ciotti states he has received five applications** from municipal police officers from Saint-Denis. The Mayor of Nice mentions this as a direct response to a call made a few days earlier.
This initiative is part of a disagreement with **Bally Bagayoko**. The new Saint-Denis leader has a project for the progressive disarmament of the municipal police, a move contested by the mayor of Nice.
Eric Ciotti recalls having **”launched a call”** to the concerned police officers. The mayor characterizes Bally Bagayoko’s decision as **“staggeringly and extraordinarily dangerous.”** Éric Ciotti adds that this measure **“puts a target on the backs of the police officers.”**
This announcement has raised **concerns within the ranks**. A source from the former administration mentions **“90 transfer requests.”** This number has not been officially confirmed.
In response to the criticism, Bally Bagayoko clarified his position on **France Inter**. The Mayor of Saint-Denis indicates that **municipal police officers might “potentially” keep firearms** **by the end of the term**. Several options are considered. Weapons might be limited to a “specific patrol” or reserved for certain situations.
Bally Bagayoko expresses “confidence” in the **“professionalism”** of the officers. The mayor emphasizes their ability to “adapt.” He accompanies this statement with a reminder that the municipal police officers in Saint-Denis were unarmed prior to 2020.
### In Nice, Recent Incidents Highlighted by Several Acts of Violence
Since **Eric Ciotti** took office in Nice, **several incidents have mobilized law enforcement**. On Tuesday, March 31, shootings were reported in the Les Moulins neighborhood. Residents alerted police services after hearing gunfire. **A man was found injured** at Place des Amaryllis. The victim had leg wounds, but his life was not in danger.
According to the authorities, this individual is known to the **police**. A conviction for drug trafficking is mentioned. The investigation has been entrusted to the interdepartmental judicial police service. The events are classified as “attempted organized group homicide.”
A few days earlier, another case drew attention. **A 15-year-old minor was taken into custody in a murder investigation**. The events took place near the Promenade des Anglais. The victim, aged 33, was found with severe throat injuries in the common areas of a residence.
The prosecutor described it as voluntary homicide. The suspect is described as **”already known for acts of violence related to behavioral disorders.”** The investigation has been assigned to the local judicial police.
On the same day of the mayor’s inauguration, **an altercation broke out in Old Nice**. An antifascist demonstration gathered nearly 300 people at Place Saint-François. On the sidelines of the assembly, a group of masked individuals attacked demonstrators.
Initial reports state that about twenty people dressed in black assaulted several demonstrators. The intervention of the municipal police ended the clashes. The prosecutor has opened an investigation for group violence and participation in a group with the intent to commit violence.
In this context, Éric Ciotti consistently defends **a clear political line**. **During his inauguration**, the new leader announced plans to **double the number of municipal police officers** on the ground within eighteen months.
