Mortar fireworks fired in French secondary schools: a rising phenomenon
Secondary school pupils are firing mortar fireworks in corridors and classrooms across France. The Unité Police union denounces a tool that has become "fashionable", available for as little as 30 euros.
Mortar fireworks in secondary schools: alert from Unité Police union
Mortar fireworks are being fired in corridors and even inside classrooms of French secondary schools — the phenomenon is spreading to Marseille, Toulouse, Lyon and Aix-en-Provence, reports rmc.bfmtv.com.
In Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, at least two establishments were affected within the space of a week. Students still present in their classes were exposed to the detonations and flying debris.
Jean-Christophe Couvy, national secretary of the Unité Police union, is not surprised by this trend. "It's a way of using weapons by destination, but which are not made to kill, but to injure, to shock. It's rather the fashionable tool. It's easy to obtain them today. There's a black market, it's 30, 40, 50 euros," he declared on RMC.
Couvy also points to a deliberate calculation on the part of those responsible: "Psychologically, they tell themselves 'if I get arrested, I'll have less chance of being convicted than if I had a firearm, a knife or a machete'."
These devices nevertheless remain dangerous: burns, damage to sight and hearing, even fires are among the recorded risks. Since summer 2024, possession of mortar fireworks without legitimate reason is liable to three years' imprisonment and a 45,000 euro fine.
Source: Google News MA — Crime (fr)