PNN – The French Prime Minister has threatened the protesters in his country with “extensive and decisive legal action.”
According to the report of Pakistan News Network; widespread protests across France on Saturday—sparked by the rising cost of living—escalated into clashes between demonstrators and security forces in several cities, following violent and repressive interventions by the police.
During the unrest, a number of buildings and vehicles were set on fire.
Speaking to reporters today, Monday, Sébastien Lecornu issued the following threat to the protesters: We have reached several decisions. The first, naturally, is to take extensive and decisive legal action against those responsible for these incidents. This subsequent phase of legal prosecution will be carried out with precision, in an organized and methodical manner.
Referring to images circulated on social media, the French Prime Minister stated that many individuals suspected of looting shops did not cover their faces while committing these acts, making it possible to identify them.
He added: For this reason, we have launched a large-scale operation by law enforcement forces, starting today.
Sébastien Lecornu also announced that nearly 200 investigators from the Paris police command have been tasked with examining images and videos recorded during the unrest over the weekend in order to identify suspects in the Paris region.
The Paris police chief also announced on Monday that a special task force would be established to examine all available footage—including recordings from city surveillance cameras, store security cameras, and videos shared on social media.
The French Prime Minister further stated that he had requested local authorities to implement limited, temporary curfews in certain areas on Monday evening to prevent a recurrence of violence and the looting of shops.
This decision followed an admission by French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez that the police had “lost control of the situation” during the unrest in some cities.