Two years after the death of the mayor of Signes, the phenomenon of attacks against elected officials remains worrying

Two years ago, Jean-Michel Mathieu, 76, mayor of Signes, in the Var, was run over by a van whose occupants he wanted to issue for having thrown rubble along the road.

His death had moved the whole of France and created an electric shock.

It was then a dramatic spotlight on the attacks suffered by elected officials: insulting tags, death threats, assault and battery.

The government had decided to tackle the problem head on.

Even if, two years later, the phenomenon remains of a worrying magnitude.

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The Interior Ministry thus recorded nearly 1,300 attacks against elected officials last year.

This is three times more than in 2019. In detail, more than 500 mayors or deputies and 60 parliamentarians were physically attacked.

Attacks on property are not limited to parliamentary offices or town halls, they now affect the private sphere.

More than 100 homes and personal cars of elected officials were also targeted last year. 

"this type of reaction, this vehemence, it is really the first time"

The objective for the government is to systematize legal proceedings against those who attack elected officials. The Minister of Justice issued a circular last September to speed up the judicial treatment of attacks on elected officials. And don't be satisfied with simple reminders of the law. Thursday morning, Jean-Pierre Rico, mayor of Pérols, in the Hérault, will face his alleged attacker in the court of Montpellier. Two scooters 15 days ago, this elected representative wanted to prohibit access to a pedestrian zone in his town and he was quickly targeted.

"I am waiting for justice to do its work. On the one hand there are the insults and on the other side there are the death threats. It is on several occasions that they threatened me with death when same. I do not hide from you that I did not sleep all night ", slips the mayor to Europe 1." Incivilities in my city, I take care of it regularly. I think that it is part of the missions and of the office of mayor. But this type of reaction, this vehemence, this is really the first time. "

The defendant faces up to 3 years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros for death threats.

With the aggravating circumstance that they are uttered against a person invested with a mandate. 

"You should never overlook a threat"

What is certain is that the demands against the health pass and against vaccination have revived tensions with regard to elected officials. 35 parliamentarians have been the subject of threats since the start of actions against the health pass. This is particularly the case of the deputy for Hérault Patricia Mirallès, who has filed a complaint three times.

"'You will not inject us with the vaccine', 'we are armed. threats of this type ", says the deputy.

"I never thought I could be accused of being a murderer because I was promoting the only treatment we have today to reverse this pandemic. You should never overlook a threat. Never. Because I don't know how far they can go. "

On July 16, the Minister of the Interior sent a note addressed to all the prefects to mobilize the police and gendarmes in order to "reassure the elected officials" and strengthen surveillance around, in particular the offices of parliamentarians.