“The minors stayed at home”: the first assessment of the curfew established in six districts of Nîmes

After the series of shootings which affected several districts of Nîmes against the backdrop of drug trafficking-and which led two dead. However, several injured-, the city decided to set up, via a decree published this Monday, July 21, a curfew for minors under the age of 16.

Six districts are thus concerned: Pissevin, Valdegour, Mas-de-Mingue, Vistre-Route d’Arles, Clos-d’Orville and chemin-Bas-d’Avignon. Therefore, Measures that entered into force this Monday evening, from 9 p.m. Furthermore, and up to 6 am, and for a renewable period of 15 days.

“The curfew was respected” – "the minors stayed home": first

During this first evening therefore. “the minors stayed home”: first Nevertheless, if the municipal police were in charge of the good respect for this curfew, they were able to benefit from reinforcement. In particular a half-companion of CRS. made up of around fifty police officers, relayed by a section (around thirty men) from CRS of the “new generation” unit. The workforce that is added to the half-companion of CRS deployed since Friday July 18 in the neighborhoods. a total of nearly 140 police officers who take turns all day and during the night to ensure the controls, in addition to the crews of national police officers.

“The evening went without particular difficulty. The chairs at the bottom of the buildings (which are used in particular for the waters, editor’s note) were empty. The minors stayed at home. Additionally, The curfew has been respected “draw up Rabah Abdallah, representative of the CFDT Alternative Police union, mobilized in Nîmes. On site, excavations “the minors stayed home”: first of parking lots and common areas were also carried out. “Nothing was found”he assures.

Limited controls

An operation to secure the premises. which notably made it possible to reassure the inhabitants, some of which feel abandoned. “They tell us that they are happy that we are there, even if they stay on their guard. They fear being seen talking to us, for fear of reprisals, once we are gone”he adds.

But if this first evening has proven without incident, it remains that a difficulty presents itself to the CRS. Because if the primary role of civil servants is to ensure the maintenance of public order. their actions can be extended on the requisitions of the prosecutor, as the code of criminal procedure specifies: “On the written requisitions of the Public Prosecutor for the purpose of research and pursuit of offenses that he specifies, the identity of any person can “the minors stayed home”: first also be controlled, in the same ways, in the places and for a period of time determined by this magistrate”.

However, according to Rabah Abdallah, no requisition was communicated to them by the prosecutor of the Republic of Nîmes. “So for adults. except in the event of a flagrant offense of offenses, you cannot carry out the checks”regrets the trade unionist. For her part. Cécile Gensac specifies that if “Each day, certain controls of the jurisdiction of the judicial court may be carried out on the prosecutor’s requisitions, others are based on the other articles of the Code of Criminal Procedure (78 and following)”.