Prison Attacks: Major Crackdown in France, 25 Arrests

On Monday, April 28, at dawn, a major law enforcement operation was carried out across several French departments to arrest suspects linked to attacks on penitentiary establishments and their staff. A total of 25 individuals were taken into custody, according to sources close to the investigation. This operation, led by the DGSI in collaboration with the anti-terrorism sub-directorate, the RAID, and the BRI, marks a decisive step in the investigation launched after a series of assaults targeting the prison system.

The arrests took place in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and other cities, targeting individuals suspected of involvement in actions claimed by a group named “DDPF” (Defense of French Prisoners’ Rights). Some of the presumed masterminds, already incarcerated, were extracted from prison and placed in police custody.

A Coordinated Series of Attacks

Over the past several weeks, prison guards’ vehicles have been set on fire, heavy weapons have been used to target homes, and numerous threats have been made against prison personnel. These attacks, which occurred in cities such as Agen, Réau, Nîmes, Valence, Villepinte, Aix-Luynes, Lyon-Corbas, Marseille, Tarascon, La Farlède, and Isère, were reportedly coordinated in response to the government’s creation of new high-security prisons.

On social media platforms like Telegram and Snapchat, members of DDPF were allegedly offering monetary rewards in exchange for sensitive information: one thousand euros for a prison guard’s address, five thousand for a prison director’s address. A video reviewed by investigators shows armed individuals firing at the home of someone they mistakenly believed to be a prison guard, marking a case of mistaken identity.

A High-Stakes Investigation

The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office (PNAT) has taken over the investigation, citing charges of association of criminals for terrorism, attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise, organized destruction of property, and death threats against public officials.

According to judicial authorities, the attacks are also linked to narcotrafficking networks that are particularly active in prisons. However, other leads, including foreign interference and potential far-left involvement, are still being considered, although these are currently seen as secondary.

More than 200 investigators are mobilized across the country. The investigations, supported by forensic police, have allowed the scrutiny of over 10 million phone identifiers and the analysis of some 260 seized items.

Following the operation, Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin praised on social media the “arrest of the alleged perpetrators of attacks against prison officers and prisons,” affirming that “the law and the Republic stand strong in our relentless fight against drug trafficking.” His colleague Bruno Retailleau also congratulated “the exemplary work” of the magistrates and investigators, highlighting the speed with which these results were achieved.