Brest, France - Two policemen stoned during a control

letelegramme

August 1, 2010 08:50 - Late Friday evening, a routine police checkpoint on two young people of Brest degenerated into clashes. Around 10:50 p.m., police officers patrolling the Boulevard of Europe, nearly Pontanézen Brest, saw two young men circulating without helmets on a motorcycle. The driver of the latter then tried to get rid of a small amount of grass. In the check that followed, it also appeared that he had no permit. But it was his passenger in possession of a prohibited weapon (a telescopic baton), that gave trouble to the police.
During the control operation, he actually had time to use his cell phone to call for rescue by some of his nearby acquaintances. Suddenly the three police officers saw a dozen then about fifteen, masked and hooded individuals arrive on the scene, who violently attacked them and threw stones. Only with the arrival of reinforcements did the police manage to remove the two youths under control, the others then making off into the countryside.
During the confrontation, two policemen were injured by stones. The most severely affected had have seven stitches and was prescribed four days of ITT. His colleague, meanwhile, received a work stoppage of two days. Two police vehicles were also damaged by stone throwing. Aged 18, the driver did not participate in acts of violence that occurred on the Boulevard de l'Europe. Charged with possession of cannabis and failure to helmet and motorcycle licence, he was quickly released. However, his passenger, a juvenile aged 17 who was already the subject of proceedings for judicial review, was remanded in custody before being brought to the court, late yesterday afternoon. A judicial investigation was opened against him, including rebellion and incitement to rebellion, violence against upholders of public authority, causing injuries, damage to vehicles and possession of a prohibited weapon. Prosecutors had not decided last night to his eventual placement in custody.