“We must not get used to violence”: Bruno Retailleau draws up the police assessment of New Year's Eve

Le ministre de l’Intérieur parle d’un “ensauvagement”. MAXPPP

Following the various incidents that took place in France during the night of December 31 to January 1, 2025, the Ministry of the Interior and Bruno Retailleau have released the results of this night, which is always special every year.

“We must not get used to violence.” These are the words with which Bruno Retailleau chose to begin his press release on Wednesday, January 1, reporting on the results of New Year's Eve. In total, he explains that “more than 90,000 police officers and gendarmes” were mobilized throughout France.

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Bruno Retailleau mainly returned to the use of mortar fire, recalling in particular the various news items. In Lyon, a two-year-old child was injured in the face and is at risk of becoming disabled, in Thonon-les-Bains, a man was taken to urgent care and in Lormont an apartment was destroyed by these mortar rounds.

He details 984 vehicles set on fire but also 420 arrests in certain urban areas linked to mortar rounds “directly targeting the internal security forces”. He also reports 310 police custody cases.

“The product of a savagery”

“I have chosen to communicate these figures because I committed to speaking the truth to the French. And the truth is that we do not have the right to accept this annual count, which is always too heavy,” declared the Minister of the Interior. For him, this violence is “the product of a savagery embodied by cowards, thugs who attack the property of the French”. Faced with this violence, he speaks of a security response “essential”, but which “cannot be sufficient”.

Finally, he advocates a judicial response, welcoming the first statements of the new Grade of the Seals, Gérald Darmanin, but also an educational response. On this point he says he wants to “punish parents who are clearly failing”. He concludes by saying he wants “to continue my policy of authority and firmness, to protect the French”.