the police face “a rise in volume and radicality” of the black blocks, according to the prefect of police of Paris

“As usual, we expect the presence of a black bloc”, Tuesday afternoon March 28, in the Paris procession of the 10th day of mobilization against the pension reform, “especially after what happened on Thursday and this weekend in Sainte-Soline”says Laurent Nuñez, prefect of police of Paris, on France Inter.

>> Anti-basins demonstration: the “militarization of policing leads to an escalation” of violence, notes a sociologist present in Sainte-Soline

“What we saw last Thursday was an increase in volume of this black bloc, an increase in radicality, but they already existed”, he explains. Laurent Nuñez points the finger at the “pre-cortege” animated by “radical elements that belong to the ultra-left and attack the forces of order”.

“We must get out of the idyllic vision of the first demonstrations” against the pension reform.

According to the prefect of police of Paris, the black blocks were already present. “What we have seen is an increase in volume and radicality”, considers @NunezLaurent#le7930inter pic.twitter.com/f4tXAE6HHL

– France Inter (@franceinter) March 28, 2023

According to his information, it is “individuals followed by the intelligence services”, for some comers “from European countries”. “Their goal is to undermine our representative democracy”believes Laurent Nuñez, denouncing the “desire of some to create an insurrectional climate”. “The police will still be present to maintain republican order”he underlines while the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced Monday a “unprecedented safety device” for Tuesday with 13,000 police and gendarmes, including 5,500 in the capital.