The script was already written. Two gendarmerie helicopters carrying members of the GIGN, and one of the army, were to fly over the business district of Defense. On board, snipers would have opened fire to neutralize two criminals holed up on the roof of the Grande Arche, while other operators of the prestigious intervention unit would have intervened to flush out an accomplice and free hostages. The aircraft would then have flown over the avenue de la Grande Armée, the Champs-Elysées, before landing on the Esplanade des Invalides. The presenter of the TF1 newscast, Gilles Bouleau, and a cameraman from the channel were even to be at the heart of this staging organized on the sidelines of the July 14 parade, on the occasion of the 15 years of the joint helicopter group. .
The last spotting was imminent. “It would have made a super beautiful sequence”, regrets a source close to the file who does not hide his astonishment. According to information from Chained duck, whose 20 minutes was confirmed, the prefect of police, Didier Lallement, informed the army chief of staff that there was no question of seeing the GIGN gendarmes in Paris, which is in the police zone. Surprised, the director general of the gendarmerie, General Christian Rodriguez, took up his pen to suggest that he organize a joint exercise with the intervention units of the police, the Raid and the BRI of the Paris judicial police. Categorical refusal by Prefect Lallement.
“It’s incredible as a story”
“He was afraid that the police unions would fall on his back if he accepted,” analyzes a good connoisseur of the file. The representative of the State would also regret that the GIGN has attracted more attention lately than the Raid or the BRI. Finally, according to our information, the exercise was canceled altogether. “It’s incredible as a story,” chokes a pandora.
Contacted by 20 minutes, the prefecture of police informs that “the prefect of police does not comment on the internal discussions within the ministry of the Interior”. The rapprochement between the police and the gendarmerie in any case does not seem for immediately.