Six men were sentenced this Monday, September 26, 2022 between 1 year suspended and 3 years in prison before the Dax Criminal Court for aggravated violence against four young gendarmes on August 10, 2018 in Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains (Landes). On August 10, 2018 around 6 a.m., while two men from the Traveler community were trying to steal bicycles, several young gendarmes at rest, coming out of a discotheque, tried to arrest them. First followed a stab in the lung of one of the gendarmes. The minor in question will be judged later before the Landes Court of Assizes for minors.
Then, shortly after, a van arrives with 8 other men inside from the Traveler community, who have beaten the young gendarmes, in particular the help a pitchfork, a machete, or an iron bar. “An urban guerrilla scene“, described the lawyer for the civil party Me Thomas Gachie.
The testimony of the police
The hearing was marked by the testimony of several of the gendarmes who were victims of these attacks. “I received a blow to the throat, I lost the use of part of my vocal cords for life. I can no longer speak loudly, socially it’s complicated, professionally it’s complicated. Four years later, this attack is still in my dreams” said Rudolph. “It was a gratuitous and cowardly aggression, added Ronan, an unreal scene. I can still see myself turning around and seeing Lucas in a pool of blood.”referring to his colleague who was stabbed in the lung. “I have since had a major finger injury which prevents me from playing basketball, my favorite sport.”
While the civil party denies having informed the Travelers of their function as gendarmes, the defense lawyers have pointed the finger at the blood alcohol level of the young gendarmes who did not have to arrest under these conditions. The court ultimately did not retain their status as gendarmes, for lack of evidence, so it was not about “violence against persons holding public authority”. During interrogations, the six men found guilty by the court partially admitted the facts and apologized to the victims.