Feuer und Flammer den Gefängnissen

A demonstration had been organised to protest the transfer of prisoners from the city’s old prison to a new one. Approximately 250 protestors broke about 20 storefront windows, damaged bus stations and telephone booths in the Poitiers town centre on Saturday 10, 2009. The demonstration was organised by an anti-prison association : The Collectif contre la prison de Vivonne. Some concerts, debates and others activisties must be occur but the police make some raid against all places these actions should take place.

The demonstrastion was not the main action of the day and local officials had anticipated that only 80 people would participate in actions. But the authorities were surprised by the arrival of a group of 250 protesters determined to do battle. They not take the control of the demo they were the demo.

The parade first took the direction of the prison before turning around and attacking police who tried to follow. The procession set off towards the city center, forming a sort of block two banners with reinforced front and rear.

The militants attacked all banks, insurance agencies and a business run by Bouygues (builder of prisons). A trader who tried to intervene was slightly injured. A policeman was more seriously hurt after being hit by a hammer to the head.

After one hours of demo, the group dispersed, leaving all his equipment on the ground. Seventeen people were arrested during the clashes or in conjunction with the event.


Some sentences :

- Nathalie: Declared guilty of possession of fireworks; 2 months suspended
- Charles: Convicted of possession of fireworks; 2 months suspended
- Patrick: Convicted of violence Commissioner (jet stack); 8 months with 4 suspended, 800 euro fine
- Serge: Found guilty of deliberate damage on private property; 6 months suspended, 2 years probation (duty of care, activity and compensation); 2850 euro fine
- Samuel Convicted of violence Commissioner; 6 months with 5 suspended
- Jean Salvy: Convicted of violence on police officer; 6 months with 5 suspended
- Leo: Found guilty of deliberate damage by fire and stone throwing, 6 months suspended sentence
- Candice: Declared guilty of deliberate damage to property of public utility; 6 months suspended sentence and probation, 300 euros in fines for refusing DNA and 650 euros for the City of Poitiers

 http://anticarceral.poitiers.over-blog.fr/


(the above names may be aliases to protect the privacy of those arrested)