PARIS — French officials on Tuesday said several prisons have been targeted in incidents including gunfire and arson in what they described as a response to renewed government efforts to fight drug trafficking.<\/p>\n
In the most recent incident, an automatic weapon was fired overnight at the prison in the southern port city of Toulon. No one was injured. In other places, cars have been set on fire outside prisons.<\/p>\n
Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin wrote on X that \u201cattempts have been made to intimidate staff in several prisons.” He added that measures against drug trafficking \u201cwill massively disrupt the criminal networks.\u201d<\/p>\n
French anti-terror prosecutors said they will lead the probe into the incidents, without providing details on possible motives. They said domestic intelligence agency DGSI would be involved.<\/p>\n
Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said on X he has instructed authorities and police to step up security measures to protect prison staff and facilities.<\/p>\n
Prison staff union UFAP-UNSA Justice said some staff vehicles have been set on fire outside prisons in Villepinte and Nanterre, in the Paris region, and the southern towns of Aix-en-Provence and Valence. It said an attempted arson attack at a prison-related facility in Marseille was also reported.<\/p>\n
Wilfried Fonck, the union’s national secretary, said on BFM television that \u201cwe see it\u2019s something that is coordinated, organized and that seeks to terrorize prisons\u2019 staff.\u201d<\/p>\n