A mob attacked police and firefighters lured to a school in Béziers, France, named after murdered teacher Samuel Paty.
The incident took place on the evening of October 26th after police and firefighters were lured to the area to respond to reports of a burning construction vehicle on the site of the new school, which is currently being built.
According to a report from Midi Libre, the firefighters, who were the first to arrive on the scene of the vehicle fire, were attacked by around 20 hooded individuals who were laying in wait for them. Anti-Crime Brigade (BAC) officers then arrived on the scene and were likewise attacked by the mob.
Commissioner of Béziers Eric Hermenier commented on the attack, saying “it forces us to be even more vigilant for the coming days and especially during the Halloween festivities. For the moment we have no leads, but an investigation is opened under the authority of the prosecutor’s office.”
Two years ago on Halloween night in Béziers, mobs set fires at two schools, including the Tamaris primary school, which was completely destroyed.
Robert Ménard the mayor of Béziers told the newspaper that the attack was “unacceptable” and added: “They once again touch a symbol of the Republic. They still haven’t understood that by attacking a school, they are attacking their brother or sister. I cannot accept such a situation.”
The school is named after teacher Samuel Paty, who was beheaded in the streets of the suburbs of Paris in October 2020 by a Chechen teen refugee after Paty had shown cartoons of the Islamic prophet Mohammed to his class during a lesson on free speech.
In November 2020, the municipal council of Béziers voted unanimously in favour of naming a new school in the Devèze district, set to be completed in 2022, after the slain teacher.
“Its new name will be one of the strongest symbols, a sign of a desire to reconquer a district that is gradually ghettoised and largely plagued by trafficking and delinquency,” said Mayor Ménard at the time.
Cases of French police and firefighters being lured to areas and then being attacked are becoming increasingly common in some parts of France.
Last year, in Versailles, emergency services personnel were lured by a burning garbage bin before being ambushed and attacked by youths. The incident occurred during several nights of urban violence in multiple parts of the country despite strict coronavirus lockdowns being in effect.
The problem of growing urban violence has led some to suggest that France could be heading towards civil war.
In May of this year, retired and active duty French military personnel wrote two separate letters warning the government that the country was not only bordering on civil conflict, but that the military may have to intervene even if not requested to do so by politicians.
“No one can want such a terrible situation, our superiors no more than we do, but yes, again, the civil war is brewing in France, and you know it perfectly well,” said the second letter, which was condemned by French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
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