In a recent editorial titled "These Vandalizers and Censors Who Threaten Liberty," Vincent Trémolet de Villers asserts that freedom, described as the foundation of French society and the first word of the Republic, is increasingly being vandalized and destroyed. The author contends that a student movement has confused the right to demonstrate with a desire for destruction, driven by a nihilistic impulse that emboldens vandals and censors.
According to Trémolet de Villers, the scale of violence and looting has forced the state to adopt restrictions originally conceived for wartime conditions. These measures include the implementation of curfews and the designation of prohibited zones. The editorial highlights that the most elementary freedom, the right to circulate, is being withdrawn from ordinary people to prevent violent actors from seizing public spaces even for a few hours in the afternoon.
The piece further criticizes the confinement of law-abiding taxpayers who will ultimately bear the financial cost of damages caused by vandals. Trémolet de Villers frames this situation as a new element of injustice that strips honest citizens of their rights while benefiting those who are not, noting that these actions also threaten the freedom to do business and sell goods.
Sources: Le Figaro.