After the knife attack perpetrated Wednesday evening near the Miroir d’eau, the quays of Bordeaux returned to their usual rhythm this Thursday morning. Joggers, cyclists and walkers have taken over the area, almost as if nothing had happened.
Almost, because the drama is on everyone’s lips. Shortly before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, a man attacked two people with a knife, one of whom died. The assailant was shot dead shortly after by the police, below the stone bridge, located about a hundred meters away. There were still crowds on the platforms at this time, and many people were able to see the victims. Not to mention the videos which quickly circulated on the networks.
“I didn’t expect this type of event in Bordeaux”
“Yes, this violence shocks me, especially on a site as busy as the Miroir d’eau,” confides Juliette, a young Bordeaux woman who came to get some fresh air on the banks of the Garonne this Thursday morning. “I didn’t expect this type of event in Bordeaux,” says this tourist from Lyon, who arrived a little earlier in the morning. “Having already been here, it’s a city that is still quiet,” she continues, “even if it remains a big city…”
“I don’t feel particularly insecure, I walk around the city peacefully,” assures another tourist. It’s an unfortunate news item, but it doesn’t stop us from enjoying our day. »
The Samu activated a medical-psychological unit on Thursday morning with the establishment of a support line for the population and shocked people (0800 719 912), provided by professionals from the Bordeaux University Hospital and Charles Perrens. . Four city mediators are also present all day on the quays, to meet residents and tourists.
“We are present to soothe, discuss, and direct residents towards the psychological unit when necessary,” explains a mediator. Everyone is aware this morning, and there are many seniors in particular who need to be reassured. We also spoke with tourists, we assured them that they could walk around the city peacefully. We must reassure them, explain that Bordeaux remains a safe city, even if several people are shocked. »
“The police undoubtedly avoided an even more serious tragedy”
“We wanted to establish this point of mediation to respond to the people of Bordeaux who, rightly, are shocked in view of these events, which are serious and worrying,” explained for his part the mayor of Bordeaux, Pierre Hurmic, came to meet mediators and municipal police officers. “Now is not the time for comments or recovery,” he warns. On the other hand, I want to salute the responsiveness of the police forces last night. The municipal police officers were very quickly present to provide first aid to the injured person, and with the national police, they undoubtedly avoided an even more serious tragedy than the one that took place. »
If this is not the time for controversy, the chief magistrate nevertheless anticipates criticism, and assures that “these events only reassure me in the fact that we must be very vigilant, very offensive in the field of security “. He recalls the “joint work” which is already carried out with the prefecture “so that security is ensured in Bordeaux”. “This type of event does not nullify all the efforts we make,” he insists.
Because this drama will not fail to fuel the debate on insecurity in Bordeaux, which has been very lively for several weeks, which had also pushed the mayor of Bordeaux to hold a press conference on the subject, not later than last Monday. “Bordeaux is becoming commonplace,” the elected official analyzes again this Thursday. For a very long time, we experienced a calm period, but over the past ten years there has been an increase in acts of violence. We join most of the large metropolises of our country in which there is worrying violence. I’m trying to tackle this security problem head on. »
An alcohol-related dispute
Concerning the investigation, we should know a little more at the end of the afternoon, after a press conference by the public prosecutor. At this stage, we know that the two victims are Algerians, and that we are moving towards an alcohol-related dispute between the victims and the alleged perpetrator. “We are talking about a dispute, the content of which we do not know, between the group and the attacker,” a source close to the investigation explained to AFP. He leaves, the group throws bottles at him. He comes back and stabs them. »
Pierre Hurmic announced for his part that the city will “do everything to help the investigation succeed, in particular with the images from the nine video cameras which cover the entire site, and which are already available to the investigators “.