French authorities have arrested 25 individuals in sweeping dawn raids across the country, following a series of violent attacks on prisons and the homes of correctional officers earlier this month.
The arrests, which took place Monday in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, and others, come amid growing concern over what officials describe as an escalating campaign of intimidation linked to organized crime and drug trafficking networks.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said the wave of violence—ranging from arson to gunfire—was “retaliation” by criminal gangs targeted in the government’s intensified crackdown on drug trafficking. “These are terrorist-style attacks on the institutions of the Republic,” Darmanin stated.
Between April 13 and 17, at least 65 attacks were reported, according to government figures. Among the most brazen incidents was the April 15 assault on Toulon’s La Farlède prison, where attackers opened fire on the entrance with a Kalashnikov rifle. Other facilities in Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Valence, Nîmes, Villepinte, and Nanterre were also targeted.
French anti-terror prosecutors are leading the investigation. According to local media, several of Monday’s arrests were made inside prisons, targeting suspected ringleaders believed to have orchestrated the attacks from behind bars. Messages claiming responsibility for some of the violence have surfaced on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, allegedly posted by a group advocating for prisoner rights.
President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to bring those responsible to justice. “They will be found, tried, and punished,” he declared.
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau praised law enforcement’s swift action, commending their “professionalism and effectiveness” in responding to the attacks.
In response to the crisis, France’s parliament is preparing to vote on a bill that would establish a specialized prosecutor’s office dedicated to combating organized crime and narcotics-related offenses, granting expanded powers to investigators.
As the government pledges tougher measures, officials say the attacks mark a troubling escalation in criminal efforts to undermine the justice system—and reaffirmed their resolve to restore order.
