Following the sabotage of SNCF train lines and the claim sent in an anonymous email to several media outlets, Gérald Darmanin announced this Monday the arrest of “around fifty people”.
The essential
- Several SNCF lines were sabotaged during the night of Thursday 25 to Friday 26 July, blocking traffic on many routes.
- This Monday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged “the traditional mode of action of the far left” and announced “the arrest of around fifty people” who “clearly were with others, estimated at 150” on France 2.
- The action was claimed with an email sent to several media outlets on Saturday. The anonymous author claims to have wanted to impact the Olympic Games.
- Investigators remain cautious about the email lead, however: “The tone of the email, its form, the gap between the facts and the day it was sent raises questions for us,” a source close to the case told 20 Minutes. “We need to analyze its authenticity, it could very well be an opportunistic letter, a group that wants to use what happened to get a message across,” a source within the gendarmerie adds.
Live
10:13 – “This could be a claim of opportunity” tempers Gérald Darmanin
After the anonymous email claiming responsibility for the attack in the name of a desire to sabotage the Olympic Games sent to several media outlets on Saturday, July 27, the Minister of the Interior wanted to tone things down on Monday. It is “something that looks like a claim”, but “we have to be careful because it could be a claim of opportunity”. The Top Cop of France also wanted to point out that “the country had organized the biggest event in the world”, with an opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics which took place without any major incident.
10:08 – “About fifty people” arrested, says Gérald Darmanin
In the Télématin program, Gérald Darmanin was also questioned about the arrest of several activists from the Extinction Rebellion movement. Information confirmed by the Minister of the Interior. About “fifty people” were arrested. They “were demonstrating with others, estimated at 150, who wanted to carry out either sabotage or radical protests in Paris during the first events of the Olympic Games,” he continued.
10:05 – “This is the traditional mode of action of the ultra-left,” confirms Gérald Darmanin
Present on the France 2 set this Monday, July 29, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin returned to the attack that the SNCF was the victim of last weekend. For him, “it is the traditional mode of action of the ultra-left”. On the other hand, “we must be careful” concerning their profile. “The question is whether they were manipulated or is it for their own benefit. These are people who can approach this movement” he indicated.
????????️ INFO: Gérald Darmanin announces that the police have identified “profiles of people” potentially “manipulated” responsible for the sabotage of the TGV lines of the #SNCF and recognizes a “vulnerable because very extensive” network. #Les4V @GDarmanin pic.twitter.com/yeXRioQAvL
— Telematin (@telematin) July 29, 2024
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The SNCF network was the victim of three acts of sabotage on its TGV network during the night of Thursday 25 to Friday 26 July. In a press release, the railway company informed that “deliberate fires [avaient] were triggered to damage [leurs] facilities”. The TGV Atlantique, Est and Nord lines were affected, leading to delays and cancellations for trains to and from Montparnasse, Nord and Est stations. A “malicious act” was foiled for the Sud-Est network.
The public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into “damage to property likely to harm the fundamental interests of the nation”, “damage and attempted damage by dangerous means by an organised gang”, “attacks on an automated data processing system by an organised gang”, and “criminal association with a view to committing these crimes and offences”.
An anonymous email claiming responsibility for the attack in the name of a desire to sabotage the Olympic Games was sent to several media outlets on Saturday, July 27. The rhetoric of the text is reminiscent of that of the far-left movement. Investigators are studying this lead but question the authenticity of this claim. The lead of foreign interference is also being considered. Finally, the precision of the sabotage suggests internal participation at the SNCF.