Arson attack on police officer's house in Auch, fundraising campaign launched
A police officer's house in Auch was completely destroyed on Saturday by an intentional fire. The Union Un1té has launched an online fundraising campaign to support him.
Deliberate arson and suspected reprisal attack
According to Actu17, the house of a police officer from Auch police station (Gers) was entirely destroyed on Saturday by an arson attack. The fire broke out at around 6 o'clock in the morning whilst the officer was on duty. Several points of fire origin were identified at the scene. No one was injured.
Union Un1té claims that the fire was committed in reprisal following an arrest made by the police officer linked to drug trafficking in the Gers. The officer had already received threats in the past, and graffiti targeting him had been discovered in the town.
Mobilisation to support the police officer
Un1té opened an online fundraising campaign on Sunday on the Leetchi platform, titled "Support police colleague". Launched by Bruno Bartoccetti, national secretary of Un1té southern zone, it has already raised over €4,000 in two days from 227 contributors. The fundraising campaign will remain accessible for approximately forty days.
The union is calling for "massive mobilisation" around this campaign. On Facebook, the southern zone branch denounces "an act of extreme gravity which strikes a police officer in his own home and directly affects his family", demanding an "exemplary" sentence for those responsible.
Joint investigation and government response
The investigation is being conducted jointly by Auch police national division and the Haute-Garonne interdepartmental judicial police service. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez denounced on X an "intolerable criminal act" committed "because of this police officer's profession".
Source: Actu17