In recent days, scuffles have erupted in several “sensitive” neighborhoods of Strasbourg, Villeneuve-la-Garenne, Gennevilliers, and elsewhere.
Some time ago, the same situation occurred, on a smaller scale, in Nice, in the northern districts and Moulins.
The scenario is always the same: gangs of young people defy the lockdown and gather, the police intervene, and that starts the “rumba” with shouting, firecrackers, and other objects thrown at the police, who respond in turn.
Faced with this recurring problem—which naturally must be repressed—there are two options for law enforcement: limit the damage by smothering the fire or get tough and spread the blaze.
From the outside, it seems that the emphasis is on the first option.
Of course, voices and even cries are being raised to denounce the weakness and even complicity of the authorities: for these political opportunists, these young troublemakers must be caricatured and appear like the vanguard of the Mongol Golden Horde. In their language, the disturbances become riots, the objects thrown are weapons!
Particularly sensitive to this argument is Eric Ciotti (Mr. Authority), who has made maintaining order his stock-in-trade, did not miss the opportunity: he asked Edouard Philippe “to decree a curfew and the deployment of the army for reinforcement.”
The deputy mentions the “urban riots” that have occurred “for several days” in France to justify this proposal.
One wonders why he doesn’t call for the reactivation of the law promulgated in 1211 by Emperor Frederick II of the Holy Roman Empire (1194-1250), the last of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, “Contra Jugolatores Obloquentes,” which authorized the people to beat and even kill troublemakers.
More prosaically, it’s every man for himself, and to the brawl!, like in the good old days.
