The classes of the Georges-Bruguier school group, located in the Chemin Bas d'Avignon district in Nîmes, rang very hollow on Monday February 26, the first day of the start of the winter vacation.
According to the rectorate, cited by
France Bleu
, 11 teachers out of 19 were on sick leave on the day of the resumption while 36 students out of 250 were present.
Score-settling with weapons of war, regular gunfire... The neighborhood has been plagued by drug trafficking for many months.
A week before the start of the school year, a man was shot and killed near a neighborhood drugstore, a stone's throw from the school, while his eight-year-old son - who was neither hit nor injured -, was in the vehicle targeted by the shots.
A shooting also broke out just before the holidays shortly before 4 p.m.
Enough to arouse growing concern among teachers and parents of students at the Bruguier school, who drop off their children with fear in their stomachs.
According to our information, classes are nevertheless filling up.
Two thirds of the children were present in kindergarten on Tuesday compared to a large third of the students in elementary school.
A figure increasing since Monday.
As for teachers, those assigned to the school were still on sick leave on Tuesday.
They have all been replaced.
“Don’t let anything pass”
“There is fear and worry among parents. The state and the city are doing everything possible to reduce this fear. The situation can only calm down when trafficking is eradicated. “It’s as good here as in Marseille
,” we explain at the town hall (LR) of Nîmes.
Already in January 2021, the town hall had installed a three-meter high anti-intrusion fence around the school after two hooded drug dealers burst into the courtyard.
The objective was to prevent intrusions and to
“stop”
possible stray bullets.
“The city will continue to make adjustments to secure access to the school as much as possible
,” assures the municipality.
Since Monday, around ten municipal police officers have been present when the children arrive, at lunchtime and when they leave school.
They are supported by national police officers.
On the side of the State, we are showing great determination to stem this persistent insecurity, of which schools are a collateral victim.
“The objective is to be very present in this sector and not to let anything slip through
,” explains to Le
Figaro
Jean-Philippe Nahon, interdepartmental director of the national police (DIPN) of Gard.
A special unit of 60 to 70 CRS is currently deployed in the Chemin Bas district of Avignon.
“We ensure a very strong presence in this neighborhood with regular operations: identity checks, common areas of buildings, businesses
,” explains Jean-Philippe Nahon.
“Since the start of the month, there have been 29 arrests, including 13 this weekend, mainly in connection with drug trafficking and the carrying of weapons.
Around half of those arrested were imprisoned
,” says the head of the Gard police.
“Three armed commandos have been arrested since the beginning of the month.
The latest homicide on February 20 is being solved.
We arrested a team the same evening in Marseille.
We are taking very strong action that we will continue
,” concludes Jean-Philippe Nahon.