Now Reading: French Prisons Hit by Coordinated Arson and Gunfire Attacks
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French Prisons Hit by Coordinated Arson and Gunfire Attacks
French authorities are investigating a series of brazen attacks on three prisons—Fresnes, Fleury-Mérogis, and La Santé—late on April 13, 2025, involving arson and gunfire that injured two guards and damaged perimeter fences.
The assaults, occurring within a two-hour window, saw unidentified assailants torch vehicles outside Fresnes and fire automatic weapons at La Santé’s guard towers, while Molotov cocktails struck Fleury-Mérogis, France’s largest prison. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau called the incidents “orchestrated terrorism,” vowing to deploy 1,500 additional police to secure the nation’s 188 correctional facilities.
No group has claimed responsibility, but officials suspect links to organized crime, citing a 2024 surge in prison-related violence, including drone deliveries of weapons. France’s prison system, holding 80,000 inmates, faces overcrowding, with a 120% occupancy rate, per Justice Ministry data. The attacks disrupted operations, delaying 200 inmate transfers, and prompted unions to demand hazard pay, noting 10 assaults on guards in 2025.
Prime Minister Michel Barnier, addressing parliament, linked the violence to “escalating gang influence,” with investigations focusing on Paris-based syndicates. Public fear, fueled by live broadcasts reaching 5 million viewers, has spurred calls for judicial reform as France grapples with security challenges.
