A 16-year-old teenager was arrested Friday afternoon in La Courneuve (Seine-Saint-Denis) after refusing to comply with a police check and hitting a policewoman with his scooter. He is also suspected of making death threats against the police.
The incident took place around 4:40 p.m. on Rue de Saint-Denis, in the Cité des 4000. A police patrol spotted a teenager riding a scooter and ordered him to stop for a check. The minor refused to comply and accelerated, hitting a policewoman as he passed.
The 27-year-old policewoman was injured in an ankle and an arm. She was treated by the firefighters and given a work stoppage. Her total incapacity for work (ITT) is not yet known, as -17 explains.
The teenager, already known to the police, was arrested after the collision. While being transported to the police station, he allegedly made death threats against the officers and tried to hit them. Body cameras worn by the police filmed the scene.
In police custody, the teenager said he was insulted and beaten by the police officers. He also claimed that he had failed to brake in time to avoid knocking over the policewoman. However, he denied all the charges against him.
The minor was brought before the public prosecutor this weekend and will be tried at a later date.
This incident highlights the growing danger of refusals to comply, which are becoming more and more frequent in Seine-Saint-Denis. It is important to remember that law enforcement has the right to carry out road checks and that motorists and motorcyclists are required to comply with them. Refusing to comply exposes you to severe criminal penalties.
This incident is also a new illustration of the violence that law enforcement officers face in the exercise of their duties. It is important to remember that police officers and gendarmes are citizens like any other and that they must be able to carry out their work in complete safety.
Violence against law enforcement must be strongly condemned and severely punished. It is important that the perpetrators of these acts are identified and brought to justice.
The authorities must also take steps to better protect law enforcement, including by providing them with additional resources and strengthening legislation.
