Guadeloupe: Prosecutor of Republic denounces urban violence “planned and organized”

Eight people were indicted, particularly for “Association of Croplers to commit organized crimes and offenses”. A police officer would have had an “active involvement” in the organization of operations that led to riots.

Le Monde with AFP

The violence that shakes Guadeloupe for almost three months, on the background of dispute of the vaccine bond, were “perfectly planned and organized,” acknowledged, Friday 21 January, the Prosecutor of the Republic.

Judicial information has been opened, entrusted to two investigating judges, and after 96 hours of custody, eight persons arrested Monday were indicted, including the head of “Association of Cropleurs in order to commit organized crimes and offenses “. Four of them were placed in pre-trial detention.

“No violence scene” including the most recent “has been spontaneous” insisted Prosecutor Patrick Desjardins. “In the monitoring that have been put in place”, following the first riots of November 2021, “we understood that there was a question of sharing of roles between young people, including Baie-Mahault gangs, peak -à-pitre and grand-camp (Aux Abymes).

“betrayal”

After a night of riots, at the end of November 2021, enamelled shots against the police and where the SPIP (the prison service of integration and probation) was burned, “the investigations intensified” , outfits “in the biggest secret”. Because appeared, according to the prosecution, “complicity, or even the active involvement of a police officer”, now placed under a warrant of deposit.

“We are on betrayal,” the prosecutor said. “We know that it was at the origin of many operations, that against the SPIP, but also the one scheduled for December 30th [2021]”.

That day, the manifestation of the collective of organizations mobilized against the immunization obligation had to reach the airport “with a specific procedure between the protesters and the members of gangs, who had to occupy Tracks with stolen vehicles “and inflamed. Hairways took place between the protesters and the police. The union leader Elie Domota had been arrested, then released in the evening. In addition, the sub-prefecture of Pointe-à-Pitre was one of the next targets, according to the investigation.

blackmail and enrichment

“In the minds of the people involved, the purpose of these riots was clear,” said the prosecutor again. If the “ideological battle” and the immunization obligation as well as the question of youth, remain in the backdrop, “which is certain, it is a clear will of enrichment”. According to the investigation, the goal was to obtain “substantial amounts from large groups in exchange for the promise not to launch the rioters against their interests”. Which explains the lack of attack of the large shopping centers of the island.

On the other hand, said Desjardins, the goal was to “benefit from grant through associations that are usefully created in favor of future negotiations, with the State, but also in relation to relations Sometimes disorders with some local elected officials “, via,” important pressures “.

Responding to the stakes announced by the Prosecutor, MP Olivier Serva said they met some young people “in the crisis exit negotiations” and now placed in custody or pre-trial custody. He calls for “impartial justice does not neglect their role in this process of appeasement and given their desire to reintegrate”.

All day, in court, about a hundred people, including leaders from local unionism, was present “in support” to people referred.

/Media reports.