France Arrests 25 in Nationwide Raids Following Coordinated Prison Attacks
French police arrested 25 individuals on Monday in a sweeping operation across several cities, following a series of violent attacks on prisons that shook the nation earlier this month.
The early-morning raids were carried out in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and other areas, a source familiar with the investigation told AFP.
Earlier this month, unknown assailants targeted multiple prison facilities, setting cars ablaze, spraying automatic gunfire at a prison entrance, and leaving cryptic messages. The wave of assaults has placed mounting pressure on the government, whose Justice and Interior ministers — Gerald Darmanin and Bruno Retailleau — have pledged a tougher crackdown on narcotics and organized crime.
President Emmanuel Macron vowed that the perpetrators would be “found, tried, and punished.”
French anti-terror prosecutors, who are overseeing the case due to the attacks’ coordinated nature, initially reported 22 arrests, with three additional suspects detained later in the day. Several suspects were taken from inside prisons, where authorities believe they orchestrated the attacks from their cells.
The prosecutor’s office, along with JUNALCO — the anti-organized crime unit — described the incidents as “likely” linked to “very serious organized crime.” Investigators noted “significant progress” in identifying both the attackers and those who planned the assaults.
Authorities reported at least 15 separate incidents between April 13 and 21, although other similar attacks remain under review to determine any connections. Nearly 200 investigators have been mobilized over the past two weeks to tackle the case.
A Relentless Fight Against Drug Trafficking
Justice Minister Darmanin suggested the attacks were tied to France’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking.
“Thank you to magistrates and law enforcement for arresting the alleged perpetrators of the attacks against prison officers and our country’s prisons early this morning,” Darmanin posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He reaffirmed the government’s “relentless fight” against narcotics-related crime and emphasized France’s commitment to upholding law and order.
The raids come ahead of an expected parliamentary vote this week on a bill aimed at strengthening efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks.
Earlier incidents included a coordinated attack on April 13, when seven vehicles were set on fire at a prison training center in Agen. Graffiti reading “DDPF” — believed to stand for “Rights of French Prisoners” — was found at the scene. Other incidents involved arson attacks on prison staff vehicles and a prison near Toulon being sprayed with automatic gunfire.
While some tactics pointed to organized crime groups, police sources indicated that certain elements also bore similarities to actions by the ultra-left.
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France Arrests 25 in Nationwide Raids Following Coordinated Prison Attacks