French police forces are expressing growing anger and exhaustion as a social movement continues to persist without signs of abating. Frédéric Lauze, the general secretary of the National Police Commissioners Union (SCPN), stated on Sunday that the country can no longer afford to repeat the events of the 2018 Yellow Vests protests. He emphasized that the current situation is driven by deep-seated anxieties rather than specific legislative demands, noting that there are no texts to withdraw or objective measures to implement.
Lauze highlighted the immense toll on law enforcement, revealing that approximately 70,000 police officers were mobilized again this weekend. He described how these officers are sacrificing their weekends, family lives, and time with their children to maintain order. According to the union leader, every Saturday brings confrontations with violence, looting, and raids carried out by far-left delinquents who burn police officers and destroy businesses. Lauze argued that these actions have moved beyond legitimate claims, evolving into rituals of violence similar to those observed on New Year's Eve and Bastille Day.
The union chief characterized the ongoing unrest as a "red fascism of the street" that is ruining the country. He asserted that police are no longer protected by the laws of the Republic in their current environment. In response to this deteriorating situation, Lauze called for a republican resurgence to address the banality of violence now being used as a primary mode of action.
Sources: Le Figaro.