Allegations made in Alès, Gard, following assaults at a fair, with the National Secretary of the PCF stating the assailants were "far-right extremists"
In Alès, France, a violent incident occurred on May 30 at a bar in the city center, run by local communists, during the Alès Feria. The incident has resulted in two complaints being filed, as confirmed by the Alès prosecutor's office, in coordination with Radio France.
An investigation into aggravated assault has been initiated. According to ICI Gard Lozère (formerly France Bleu), around twenty people were treated by the Red Cross and emergency services, with one individual requiring urgent hospitalization.
Giovanni Di Francesco, the secretary of the PCF in Alès, alleges an organized attack by far-right extremists. Fabien Roussel, the national secretary of the French Communist Party, condemned the incident on social media, labeling it as an attack by the "Montpellier Block" fascists and urging Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, to intervene.
The police report that these instigators are believed to have come from Lyon, having previously vandalized the bar a few days prior. One of the victims, who suffered severe injuries, was forced to take five days off work.
In a Facebook post, Di Francesco described the incident as a raid by a dozen neo-Nazis from the notorious Block montpelliérain group. He has called for a republican rally on Monday at 6 pm in front of the sub-prefecture to denounce the escalating fascist aggression.
Bruno Ferrier, a PRG center-left councilor from Nîmes, advocates for the dissolution of the organization, characterizing it as a threat to the Republic. County authorities reported that around ten masked individuals entered the establishment, violently attacking those present inside. The victims were communist sympathizers, as confirmed by the prosecutor's office.
The prosecutor's office is considering the possibility that the attack stemmed from the far-right group, the Block montpelliérain. As of now, there is no further information available regarding the aftermath or the current status of the investigation.
[1] Alès, located in the Gard department in France.
- Amidst the escalating tension, the social media feeds of French politicians are filled with statements regarding the incident in Alès, a city known for its rich general-news history.
- This controversial event, involving acts of crime-and-justice, has also sparked significant debate in the realm of French politics, with accusations of far-right involvement.
