The challenge against the pension reform and the use of article 49.3 by the executive takes another turn. Until now rather contained to demonstrations in the street and blockages, it now also targets elected officials. Some activists have notably decided, on the night of Saturday to this Sunday, to attack the offices of parliamentarians.
Around five o’clock in the morning, the premises of the Renaissance deputy for the 6th constituency of Val-de-Marne, Guillaume Gouffier, located in Vincennes (Val-de-Marne), was degraded with a red spray paint and black felt pen. A tag representing a hanged man, with the letters “LRE”, was notably inscribed on the entrance door of the office. The entire storefront was tagged with the slogan “denial of democracy” on 4 meters, details a police source.
“I condemn this violence, which has no place in our Republic”, denounced Guillaume Gouffier, joined this Sunday morning by Le Parisien. “We will have to find solutions to appease this anger. The door of my permanence is open to those who would like to exchange in a democratic way, ”lamented the elected official who intends to file a complaint for death threats.
A Renaissance deputy under police protection
In Nice, in the Alpes-Maritimes, it is the permanence of the president of the LR, Éric Ciotti, who is the subject of the wrath of opponents of the reform. “Last night my permanence was stoned. The thugs who did this want to violently pressure my vote on Monday. I will never give in to the new disciples of Terror,” the MP was indignant, posting two photos of the damage on Twitter. An investigation has been opened, the prefecture said. “With violence, blackmail or threat, extremists – from left and right – are showing their true face today”, condemned the president LR of Île-de-France, Valérie Pécresse. in a tweet.
“Obviously none of us can approve of the attack on a parliamentary office. But if you don’t want violence, accept democracy,” Jean-Luc Mélenchon commented to RTL-Le Figaro-LCI this Sunday. In a press release, Éric Ciotti, however, accuses the rebels, who according to him, “legitimize by their speeches and their actions, this unacceptable violence”.
The public prosecutor of Colmar, Catherine Sorita-Minard also confirmed this Sunday the opening of an investigation for “intimidation of an elected official”, after degradations on the permanence in Colmar of the deputy Renaissance du Haut-Rhin, Brigitte Klinkert, former Minister Delegate for Integration. Inscriptions like “You vote against us, we will remember it” were affixed to it, as reported by the newspaper L’Alsace.
Another degradation, that of the permanence of the Renaissance deputy Sophie Panonacle, targeted by “acts of vandalism”, indicates this Sunday the prefecture of Gironde. An investigation has been opened so that the perpetrators can be identified and brought to justice, she adds on Twitter, without giving more details.
A request for “protection of parliamentarians”
Already on Saturday, in Bouffement, in Val-d’Oise, the entrance to the premises of the Renaissance deputy Dominique Da Silva’s office had been covered with posters. The work of a group of yellow vests who thus intended to express their opposition to the pension reform. As of Thursday evening, the patroness of the Renaissance deputies Aurore Bergé had asked the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin to “mobilize the services of the State” for the “protection of parliamentarians”.
In addition, this Sunday, Renaissance MP Karl Olive testified that he came to the RMC studio under police protection, after receiving threats. “Demonstrating is a right. Destroy is a crime “and” I want us to have a firm hand, “he said about reprisals against elected officials.