The “change in nature” of the demonstrations since the adoption of the pension reform through the use of 49.3 is reflected in the acceleration of referrals to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN). According to its director, 17 judicial inquiries have been opened since the first national day of mobilization against the pension reform in January. “This figure is by definition evolving”, added on BFMTV Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre.
On Friday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin revealed that eleven IGPN investigations had been opened “for a week”. This therefore signals a recent acceleration of referrals, especially since March 16 and the start of wild demonstrations in Paris and in several regions, in response to the use of 49.3.
“Radicalization” of the movement
“There was a change in nature, particularly radicalized individuals who were not on the first national days of action,” argued the head of the IGPN. “De facto, this change of nature, this change of atmosphere, this radicalization, we find it in our referrals”, added the magistrate by training.
Regarding the threatening and humiliating remarks by police officers, attributed to members of the decried Brav-M unit, towards young demonstrators and revealed in an audio recording, Agnès Thibault-Lecuivre said that she was “as a citizen, terribly shocked “. “These abuses are destructive for the National Police institution” and “casts opprobrium on all the other services and police officers in the field who are exemplary”, she regretted. An administrative inquiry, on referral from the prefect of police Laurent Nuñez, and a judicial inquiry, after a report sent to the Paris prosecutor’s office on Saturday, were opened to the IGPN on this case.