In a series of coordinated attacks across France, multiple prisons have been targeted with gunfire and arson, raising significant concerns about the security of correctional facilities nationwide.
The most severe incident occurred at the Toulon penitentiary center, where assailants armed with automatic weapons fired at the prison's entrance, leaving at least 15 bullet impacts on the front gate. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Similar attacks were reported at prisons in Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Valence, Nîmes, Luynes, Villepinte, and Nanterre. In these locations, vehicles parked in prison staff areas were set ablaze, and some buildings were defaced with the acronym "DDPF," believed to stand for "Droits des Prisonniers Français" (Rights of French Prisoners). This has led authorities to consider the possibility of involvement by groups advocating for prisoner rights or protesting prison conditions.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin condemned the attacks as attempts to intimidate prison staff and emphasized the government's commitment to combating drug trafficking, which he suggested may have motivated these incidents. He stated, "The Republic will not back down. These are extremely serious crimes... an attack on the public prison service, that is, a terrorist attack."