Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported a reduction in unrest, crediting effective law enforcement strategies. New Year’s Eve resulted in 874 vehicles torched and 441 individuals apprehended, with 381 held in custody.
This represents a notable decline in property damage when compared to 2019’s 1316 burned cars (2020 data excluded due to imposed curfews). Conversely, the number of arrests (376 in 2019) and those detained (314) increased this year.
France deployed approximately 95,000 police and gendarmes, including 9,000 in Paris, along with 32,000 firefighters and civil defense personnel.
Strasbourg experienced substantial unrest and aggression targeting law enforcement (fireworks, barricade attempts), leading to 13 arrests, according to official police statements.
Six hundred Apprehensions on the Champs-Élysées
In Paris, where face masks were again mandated to combat the surge in Covid-19 cases, 779 individuals received fines for non-compliance from Friday night to Saturday, with at least 600 citations issued on the Champs-Élysées, police reports show.
The Interior Ministry stated that police strictly enforced regulations limiting public gatherings.
Despite being prohibited, a large unauthorized party attracted 1,500 individuals on Saturday morning at an industrial site in Saint-Florentin, Yonne, as confirmed by the prefecture and gendarmerie.