France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the security response to violence on October 17 as a failure when he appeared before a National Assembly inquiry on Tuesday, November 3. He said the authorities had not adequately anticipated events, citing the simultaneous nature of what unfolded.
More than 3,000 businesses were looted during the unrest, according to the account presented to the inquiry. Municipal buildings in Marseille and Bordeaux were vandalized, while the town hall in Limoges and Lyon’s tourist office were set on fire.
Nuñez said he was responsible and recalled that he offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on October 17; Macron declined it. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had also acknowledged shortcomings two days after the violence.
Earlier, Nuñez had pointed to a mismatch between the security deployment and the number of people taking part. The inquiry is examining how the events unfolded and the authorities’ response.
Sources: Le Monde.