Gauthier Delomez (comments collected by Guillaume Dominguez) / Photo credits: Romain Doucelin / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP
06:19, October 10, 2024
“Am I surprised by what has just happened in Cavaillon? Of course not,” says Bruno Bartoccetti, national secretary of the Police Unit union. Four law enforcement vehicles were set on fire in front of the police station in this town in Vaucluse during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, and CRS 81 was sent to the site this Thursday.
According to the interdepartmental director of the national police of Vaucluse, it could be a “reaction of drug traffickers” after a “clearance” operation carried out at the beginning of the week in a neighboring town.
The trade unionist wants to put this news item into perspective by recalling the death of police officer Éric Masson, during a control operation in the city center. Then he mentions the murder of a VTC driver in Marseille. “When we know that we have a sponsor from a prison who sends a 14-year-old boy from Avignon to go kill someone, that means that everything is possible and that nothing surprises us,” says he spoke to the Europe 1 microphone.
Physical, but also legal, insecurity
Bruno Bartoccetti adds that 15,000 police officers are injured each year on duty, a “huge, considerable” figure. “There is a feeling of impunity among these thugs, and we, cops, are targets, that is where we are today in our country,” criticizes the national secretary of Police Unit.
For the trade unionist, “two insecurities” exist, they are physical, but also legal. “We have to constantly justify ourselves, because we constantly cast doubt on our work, not to mention threats against police officers, police officers’ wives. We are forced to transfer certain colleagues simply because they have been recognized. We are there in our country”, supports Bruno Bartoccetti.
