French authorities detained twenty-five suspects during coordinated early morning raids across multiple cities on Monday, including Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Lyon. The operation comes in response to a series of attacks targeting prisons and prison officers’ homes that occurred throughout April.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin attributed the violence to criminal gangs retaliating against intensified government efforts to combat drug trafficking. The most severe incidents unfolded over five nights earlier this month, featuring arson attacks and gunfire directed at two prisons—acts the minister labeled as “terrorist attacks.” Facilities in Toulon, Aix-En-Provence, Marseille, and near Paris were among those assaulted, with Kalashnikovs used in an April 15 strike on Toulon’s La Farlede prison.
According to Le Figaro, at least 65 attacks against prisons or staff have been documented since April 13. A group advocating for prisoners’ rights has allegedly claimed responsibility for some assaults via Telegram posts, though its identity remains unverified. President Emmanuel Macron vowed that perpetrators would be “found, tried, and punished,” as anti-terror prosecutors spearheading the investigation confirmed the arrests. BFMTV reported some detainees were incarcerated individuals suspected of orchestrating operations.
Darmanin reaffirmed the government’s “relentless fight against drug trafficking,” while Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau commended investigators’ efficiency. Both officials pledged stricter measures against drug-related crime, coinciding with parliamentary preparations to vote on a bill establishing a specialized prosecutor’s office with expanded investigative powers. The proposed legislation aims to bolster France’s response to organized crime amid escalating tensions.
