Riots in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps: ten police officers injured, around twenty cars set on fire
A collision between a police vehicle and a scooter engaged in urban stunt riding triggered violent clashes in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. Ten law enforcement officers injured, five young people arrested.
Night of violence in Saint-Pierre-des-Corps following collision between police and scooter rider
The night of Saturday 20 September saw violent clashes in the La Rabaterie neighbourhood of Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Indre-et-Loire), according to rtl.fr. It all began around 19:00 when police officers intervened to put an end to motorcycle stunt riding being practised by several young people. During this intervention, one of the scooter riders collided with a national police vehicle.
The motorcyclist, born in 2006, sustained a leg injury and was hospitalised. His condition is not life-threatening. The driver of the police vehicle was taken into custody. The prosecutor of Tours, Catherine Sorita-Minard, opened judicial proceedings on Sunday for voluntary assault. "An investigating judge will be notified," she stated on social media platform X. Two further inquiries were also opened, one into urban stunt riding and failure to comply, the other concerning violence committed against law enforcement.
Projectiles, fireworks mortars and barricades
Following the accident, "several dozen young people" attacked police officers, throwing projectiles at them and firing fireworks mortars in their direction, according to a prefectural statement. Barricades were erected and fires lit. The clashes spread to certain neighbourhoods of Tours and Joué-les-Tours and continued until 4:00 in the morning.
In total, nine police officers and one gendarme were injured, confirmed the AFP with the prefecture and the public prosecutor's office. Around twenty vehicles were also set on fire during the night.
Hundred law enforcement officers deployed
A gendarme helicopter as well as around a hundred police officers and gendarmes were deployed on the ground. Régis Castro, deputy prefect on duty for the Indre-et-Loire prefecture, indicated to the AFP that a similar operation would be put in place from Sunday evening onwards in order to prevent further violence.
Five young people, born between 2005 and 2010, were arrested for "participation with weapon in a gathering with concealed face", according to a statement from prosecutor Sorita-Minard.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez responded on X: "We will not allow a minority of violent individuals to undermine everyone's security."
Source: TF1 Info