Arson Attacks on Vehicles and Tagging with "DDPF" Mark: Incident at Lyon-Corbas Prison, linked to anti-prison administration protests
Unsettling Chaos: The saga surrounding French prisons remains unabated, with Lyon-Corbas joining the list of targeted institutions on the night of April 19-20. As reported by Le Progrès, a "DDPF" tag, representing the Defense of French Prisoners, appeared on the prison walls, while two vehicles parked in the secure parking lot were torched. The Syndicat Force Ouvrière-Justice decried this as a "new unacceptable provocation." Social media channels echoed the union's condemnation of this act of violence and intimidation, insisting on the importance of agent safety.
Lyon regional secretary Didier Lui-Hin-Tsan, speaking to the local paper, revealed the growing concern among his colleagues due to the escalating acts of violence across the nation. They worry not only for their own safety but also for their families. In light of these events, colleagues have been advised to avoid discussing their profession and wear their uniforms outside prison, and to park their vehicles securely. Unfortunately, these precautions are becoming necessary. The Rhône prefecture aims to allay agents' fears by increasing police patrols around the department's two detention centers.
On April 21, the prosecutor confirmed that two additional vehicles had been vandalized, and a minor was arrested nearby the prison just hours later. Although the link between the minor and these acts of vandalism remains uncertain, he was placed in police custody on suspicion of planning to commit further damage.
Delving Into the "DDPF" Telegram Channel
The mystery surrounding the "DDPF" group deepens as vehicles have suffered arson in prison parking lots, and apartment buildings have been set ablaze in the Paris region—all within the past week. Coordinated attacks on French prisons have continued to escalate, with incidents like vehicle fires and gunfire targeting Toulon prison's door (Var). President Emmanuel Macron assured citizens that those attempting to intimidate prison guards and attack prisons with unacceptable violence would be found, judged, and punished. The National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) is conducting investigations into these incidents.
All leads are being explored, including a possible foreign manipulation, according to police sources.
Mysterious "DDPF" inscriptions, ostensibly advocating prisoner rights, have appeared in most of the actions recorded since April 19. An "DDFM" inscription was also found on Toulon prison. Minister of Justice Gérald Darmanin accused these elements of trying to destabilize the State by intimidation on CNews /Europe 1. French officials have suspected organized crime, particularly drug trafficking networks operating within prisons, to be behind these attacks.
However, the DDPF denies being a terrorist organization and positions itself as a defender against prison abuses. The Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office is involved in the investigation, citing the targeted nature of the attacks, their coordination, and their aim to disrupt public order. As the investigation intensifies, it remains unclear whether the DDPF is indeed an organized crime front or a legitimate prisoner rights group.
- The Syndicat Force Ouvrière-Justice strongly condemned the act of vandalism and violence that occurred at Lyon-Corbas prison, calling it an "unacceptable provocation."
- The "DDPF" tag, representing the Defense of French Prisoners, was found in connection to the escalating acts of violence at French prisons, including the recent arson at Lyon-Corbas's secure parking lot.
- The Rhône prefecture aims to reassure agents by increasing police patrols around the department's two detention centers in response to the increasing acts of vandalism and violence, such as those perpetrated by the "DDPF" group.
- According to police sources, all leads are being explored in the investigation of the "DDPF" group, including a possible foreign manipulation, as mysterious inscriptions advocating for prisoner rights have been found in connection to coordinated attacks on French prisons.
