Guillaume Dominguez // Photo credit: Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP
8.18pm, November 17, 2024modified to
8.31pm, November 17, 2024
Bruno Retailleau, the Minister of the Interior, received the leaders of the agricultural unions this week, to “have a dialogue and also to tell them the limits”, he declared on the stage of the Grand jury RTL/M6/ Le Figaro/Public Senate. But this Sunday, he warned farmers that there would be “zero tolerance” in the event of a “sustainable blockage” of the roads, before the new cycle of mobilization of the sector.
Bruno Retailleau understands the movement, but he warns. There are three limits that must not be exceeded: no attacks on property, no attacks on people, obviously, and no lasting blockage because there will be zero tolerance. But then what security system should we expect?
“The configuration is not the same as in January”
The order was given to support the movement, to initially supervise it, and to work as closely as possible in consultation with the unions. The discontent is seen as legitimate by the authorities. There is also no ban on demonstrating, but there is no question of leaving the established framework. Bruno Retailleau has already announced the color. In the event of attacks on property and people and especially in the event of blockage, there will be no tolerance. There is no question of closing entire roads like last January. The government wants to avoid an episode of violence at all costs, explains Axel Ronde, spokesperson for the CFTC Police union.
“The configuration is not the same as in January. There was a whole sequence of elections, so I think that the country is in a different atmosphere than that which was in January. Via the services of information, the analysis that was given to the minister is that we must be careful that the movement does not go in all directions and that we end up with yellow vest style operations that we were able to know a few years ago. A very unlikely disaster scenario, assures Axel Ronde. Farmers and law enforcement have always worked in very good harmony, he concludes. Moreover, for the moment, all the ongoing demonstrations in Ile-de-France are taking place peacefully.
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