Status: 09/01/2021 3:49 p.m.
Marseille has long had a crime and especially drugs problem. But now the violence is escalating and the president is alarmed. A plan should be presented. But even before that there are doubts.
“You can buy a Kalashnikov here as easily as a chocolate croissant,” said the visibly agitated Mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan on the radio that morning. That was the day after a 14-year-old was killed in a shooting with an assault rifle in the “Les Marronniers” settlement in the north of the city. Three days later: three more dead – one of them, apparently riddled with Kalashnikovs, in a burned-out car. With this escalation of violence in recent weeks, France’s second largest city has hit the headlines – 15 deaths have occurred so far this year alone.
In Marseille itself, the escalation surprised few. The drug trade has been flourishing for years. This is a welcome source of income for many, especially in the poorer districts of Marseille. “Those who are smeared can earn 150 euros a day. That is significantly more than the parents’ minimum wage,” says Rudy Manna of the “Alliance” police union. In the 14th arrondissement, where the 14-year-old boy was shot, 42 percent of residents are considered poor and around 40 percent of those under 25 are unemployed.
According to Rudy Manna, the police can hardly keep up with regularly disturbing drug dealers in their business: “42 settlements, with 156 places where drugs are sold, that’s a lot. It’s practically impossible to check it on a daily basis.”
Lawlessness like “Gotham City”? The entrance to the Marseilles quarter “Les Maronniers” prepares for difficult conditions.
Image: AFP
Gangs fight for supremacy
So the drug business is flourishing in Marseille. “Around ten to 15 million euros are turned over in drug trafficking in the poorer districts of Marseille – per month,” estimates Xavier Monnier, a journalist who has done a lot of research in the milieu. “Various gangs have been fighting for supremacy for 15 years,” he says. And that with weapons too.
The fact that it is now escalating is a “logical consequence”: “Some of the drug lords have been arrested – now new actors want a piece of the pie,” said Monnier. There is a real war going on for the distribution of the territories. The police detained more than 1200 people and arrested 800 people this year. Arrests also lead to distribution struggles, so Monnier. If the police arrest dealers on the street, there could also be conflicts over which gang will take over the position in the future.
“Uncovering networks, fighting crime, putting an end to drug and arms trafficking – that is not just a matter for Marseille, but for the state,” demands Benoît Payan, who has been mayor of Marseille since December.
Macron’s plan for Marseille
The French President did not take long to ask. Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Marseille today and is staying for three days, longer than ever. He also brings eight members of the government with him. It’s the big show, and maybe the unofficial start of the upcoming presidential election campaign.
Macron wants to announce a plan for Marseille that should ensure more security in the city. 200 of the 472 schools are to be renovated. 300 million euros are to flow into the renovation of living space. More cameras are to be installed in the affected areas and the transport links to the disadvantaged areas are to be improved. As early as February, the interior minister had announced more than 300 additional police officers for the port city, which the Marseille mayor criticized as far too few.
“The state is leaving us in the lurch,” accuses a graffiti in the “Les Marroniers” district of Marseilles.
Image: AFP
Hardly anyone believes in change
Journalist Monnier believes that an important step in solving the problem is to increase the police presence in the neighborhoods. “But you really have to arrest criminals,” he says. Just more police, bring nothing. According to Monnier, Marseille does not need short-term solutions, but a long-term plan to improve public transport, schools and housing. “The Marseilles just don’t believe that anything will change. The city is known for its corrupt and never-ending projects.”
The French Minister of Justice has now announced that it will increase the court staff in Marseille. This should at least ensure that criminals can actually be convicted. Here, too, there was a lot going on in the city. Much remains to be done in Marseille.