between relief and incomprehension, the first night under curfew in Pointe-à-Pitre

The curfew for minors came into force on the night of Monday April 22 to Tuesday April 23 in Guadeloupe. The measure, intended to combat juvenile delinquency, is planned for one month, renewable.

“Lets’ go…“This 14-year-old teenager didn’t really understand what was happening to him: sitting, with a sandwich in his hand, on the main square in Pointe-à-Pitre, he was checked by the anti-crime brigade (Bac). However, it is 9 p.m., he is a minor: this is therefore an infraction of the curfew for all minors in the city which came into force on Monday April 22, ordered during a visit to Guadeloupe by the Minister of ‘Interior, Gérald Darmanin, for a period of one month renewable in certain areas of Abymes and Pointe-à-Pitre.This young man didn’t know, his mother is coming. We have no reason to bother him, and he’s going home“, specifies prefect Xavier Lefort, who is monitoring the operation.

The teenager will not receive the fine of 750 euros provided for in the event of non-compliance with this effective curfew between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for those under 18 throughout the city: the police forces order demonstrate pedagogy, for this first evening, but with firmness.

This decree – which allows the deployment of 35 police officers and around fifteen gendarmes – is intended to “the safety of minors“in a context of”increase in delinquency, particularly armed robbery“and in order to”restrict and limit this juvenile delinquency which is increasing extremely markedly in these municipalities“, according to the prefect. Before specifying that “40% of delinquency committed by minors is committed by minors aged 15 to 17“.

“I think the parents took their responsibilities”

The police officers roamed the streets of the sub-prefecture for two hours. Results: only one minor identified. “The information has been heard: I think that the parents have taken their responsibilities not to let their minors hang out outside. So if we don’t find any minors, it’s necessarily because people didn’t defy the order, they insisted on respecting it.”welcomes the boss of the Bac.

This satisfaction of the police is shared by certain residents: “It’s good, it’s a good thing because there are too many, really too many young people who are in the street. Little children of 8 or 9 years old in the street at 11 p.m., sometimes after… It’s not is not normal“, rejoices this mother.

On the other hand, for many minors, the curfew is experienced as an injustice, like these two teenagers encountered just before 8 p.m. and the entry into force of the curfew. They had just started basketball practice.

“We train from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., but we are limited. For example, training starts at 8 p.m., so we go, but my mother is working and will have to go out to pick me up because I can’t to go out…”

A teenager from Pointe-à-Pitre

at franceinfo

For two months, the teenager’s mother will have to pick him up from training even though he only lives a few hundred meters from the basketball court.