REPORTING. Night of violence in Cherbourg: “The cars burst into flames at an unimaginable speed”

The Provinces district in Cherbourg-Octeville (Manche) woke up after a night of urban violence this Sunday June 16, 2024 in the morning. Although the weekly market was able to take place normally, the streets still bore the scars of the incidents from yesterday.

“My tiles were starting to get hot”

At his first floor window, Christian Picray, a resident, discusses with his neighbors the fires which took place before his eyes a few hours earlier. He must have leave your apartment in a hurry.

He says: “I was in the front row. It started at 11:30 p.m. We called the firefighters and they wouldn’t come. The police and firefighters arrived at 4 a.m. During this time, they set fire to the cars. My tiles were starting to get hot. I grabbed my bag and quickly left for the sidewalk of the neighboring building. They were having fun with their big mortar firing into the facades. »

I’m not a coward but when I saw all the cars and trees burning… They caught fire at an unimaginable speed. When the tanks burst, there was gasoline everywhere. At 4 a.m. the police and firefighters arrived but it was all over, everyone had left.

In total, around fifteen light vehicles were also set on fire.

“Until 3-4 hours, neither the police nor the firefighters came”

Another resident witnessed the scenes from his balcony on 11^e floor: “We heard people screaming. We saw the cars burning, the black smoke… Until 3-4 hours, neither the police nor the firefighters came to put out the fire or arrest them. I found it dangerous when the kids, who were between 15 and 22 years old, were trying to shoot towards the Esso Total station. With no reaction from the police or firefighters, they must have gotten fed up and went home around 3 a.m. and things calmed down. »

Part of the France Labor agency burned

In front the France Travail agency, whose ground floor is largely charred, Alix Le Guyader, the director of the agency which employs 29 people, came to see the damage at 8 a.m.: “I see that the building is on fire. We are waiting for the teams to take stock. Tomorrow, we will continue to provide service to the public and local businesses either working from a distanceeither redeploying to our Cherbourg unit (Turrets). »

As soon as the first trucks arrived from the market, calm returned.

Vicky Hervé, a fruit and vegetable seller for 17 years, arrived at 6:15 a.m. to start setting up and said: “There were no more demonstrators. All that remained was unfortunately a burnt car, debris and tags everywhere. We’ve seen lots of things here but never this. Technical services were very efficient and it went well. What was missing was a little police presence to secure the area because there was no one there and the burned car was blocking the road. »

An “intolerable” night for the mayor of Cherbourg who calls for calm

At 9 a.m., the mayor of Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Benoit Arrivé went to the market alongside his deputy Arnaud Catherine and the sub-prefect Jean Rampon to “call for calm and support the residents”.

He reacts to this night of violence: “ What happened last night is intolerable on several counts. It’s intolerable because the people who live here are afraid. We will do everything we can to reassure them. Several public buildings were targeted. France Travail, a public service useful to residents, is today unusable. This is all the more intolerable because it absolutely does not serve the memory of Sulivan. This is contrary to what the family says, calling for calm. Many young people who do not live in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, who come from Caen, Rennes, were there. »

Why are external elements there and what causes do they serve? It’s not their neighborhood. They come here to mess up the city which doesn’t need it. They do not serve the memory of Sulivan nor the will of the family, which is extremely responsible, free in its demands and which calls for calm.

Two people arrested, three police officers injured

According to the prefecture, more than 70 police officers and gendarmes were mobilized during the night, to allow around thirty firefighters to intervene and also to arrest two troublemakers of public order. The human toll shows three police officers injured.

Family calls for calm

A few hours earlier before the violence, the family of Sulivan, killed by the shooting of a police officer during the night from Sunday to Monday, had organized a rally in front of the Cherbourg court. The victim’s family, who lives in the neighborhood, requests that the police officer, indicted for intentional homicide, beincarcerated.

The family called for calm last night on social networks: “Please stop doing anything stupid. People need their materials. We didn’t ask for this, we asked for calm and peace. »

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