Frédéric Michel (correspondent), edited by Gauthier Delomez / Photo credits: DAMIEN MEYER / AFP 6:50 a.m., January 28, 2024

The municipality of Cannes organizes training on terrorist risk for its agents responsible for extracurricular activities. These aim to give them all the means to react in the event of intrusion by a malicious person. Europe 1 attended a full-scale exercise.

In front of the gate of a school in Cannes, there is an angry father. “I would like to come back, please, sir,” he asks the receptionist who refuses him access. “Let me go back,” insists the father, blocked by a supervisor who comes as reinforcement and asks him to calm down. An alarm sounds, before a call to enter the establishment's containment zones is heard.

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Theoretical training and practical training

This is a life-size exercise on the right reflexes to adopt in the event of a terrorist attack or intrusion into schools. Training organized by the Cannes town hall which trains its agents responsible for after-school activities, as part of its municipal prevention plan in force since 2016, the year of the Nice attack.

Supported by the Raid, the GIPN (national police intervention group) and the BRI (research and intervention brigade) of the Alpes-Maritimes, the municipality provides useful advice during a half-day of theoretical training , and another on the ground.

150 agents trained in Cannes

That day, around ten facilitators attended the exercise. “I think it’s violent, we’ve never done that,” reacts a participant to François Scardino, a former elite police officer from the GIPN who takes part in this training. “Well yes, we never did it, maybe it surprised you, but finally, somewhere, you integrated it today,” he replies.

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"The idea (of this exercise) is to have reflex actions and to use all the devices: the alert button, the means of communication, and all the devices which allow them to confine themselves, to protect children", explains the trainer at the microphone of Europe 1. "There are reflex sheets for that which are specific to establishments depending on the configuration", he continues. “The main thing is to know where I enter, where I exit, the place where I can confine myself…”, summarizes François Scardino.

Intrusion by an ill-intentioned person or terrorist attack, municipal after-school agents are made aware of several situations. “As long as we don't really experience it, we don't know how to react. There, it gives us an extra reflex,” admits a host. In total in Cannes, more than 150 agents will be trained.