An eventful evening for the police officers of Compiègne (Oise).
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, officials arrested three men suspected of having fired fireworks at the police.
Aged 28 and 29, these individuals were taken into custody.
"A flagrant investigation has been opened for aggravated voluntary violence with the use of a weapon and against persons holding public authority, association of criminals with a view to committing aggravated violence and ambush", indicates the prosecutor of the Republic of Compiègne, Marie-Céline Lawrycz.
It was 11:15 p.m. when the staff suffered the first jets of projectiles while patrolling the Clos-des-Roses district.
Targeted by about fifteen individuals, the officials managed to disperse their assailants by using tear gas and their defense bullet launcher (LBD).
The matter could have ended there.
But around midnight, when the patrol returned to the police station, it was the police station of the imperial city that found itself targeted by mortars.
“They fired in particular in the inner courtyard”, specifies Marie-Céline Lawrycz.
Read alsoThe Trappes police station again targeted by fireworks mortar fire
After having spotted the vehicle with which the shooters had come, the agents chased it to the level of square Hector-Berlioz, still at Clos-des-Roses.
Again, they fall into an ambush.
“It was during these exchanges that the police managed to arrest three individuals, two of whom are known to our services,” reports the magistrate.
However, it is still too early to say that they are the perpetrators of the shootings against the police station.
"The investigations are continuing," says Marie-Céline Lawrycz.
"The traffickers feel that the noose is tightening"
In Compiègne, it had been several weeks since the police had experienced urban violence of this magnitude.
"Until now, it was relatively calm," confirms a senior officer.
According to the municipality, which reacted on Monday in a press release, this episode is a reaction to the multiplication of "operations to disrupt the traffic" of narcotics.
“We bring real harm to illegal activities.
The traffickers feel that the noose is tightening and react by attacking our police officers, writes the mayor (LR) Philippe Marini.
This is unacceptable.
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“These intimidations will not stop our resolve to fight against all trafficking.
We will continue to multiply operations in our neighborhoods and we will not let up on the pressure”, continues the elected official, recalling that “36 kg of drugs seized in 2021 and already more than 22 kg since the beginning of 2022”.
According to someone close to the case, it could also be that this violence is linked to the arrest in the neighborhood this Saturday of four people suspected of having forced a 15-year-old girl into prostitution before she managed to escape. escape.
“What is quite surprising is the age of the people arrested during the violence, usually committed by younger individuals, observes a police officer.
It remains to be determined whether this is usual urban violence or not.
“Regarding this possibility, it is” a question that we can ask ourselves “, only answers Marie-Céline Lawrycz.
In December 2021, a police officer was injured in the face by a mortar fire during an operation at Clos des Roses.