A vast police operation targeted this Tuesday the Square de Forceval, near the Porte de la Villette (19th arrondissement), to control this "open-air consumption site" where "trafficking" and "criminal acts" take place, according to the words of the new prefect Laurent Nunez.
The latter thus wanted to show the involvement of the State services in the treatment of this problem which has poisoned the lives of local residents for almost a year.
But the latter remain skeptical, believing that the prefect “does a bit of cinema”.
They hope for a long-term solution to finally see “the end of the tunnel”.
“We didn't leave by bus!
Released by the police, crack users in Square Forceval, near Porte de la Villette, in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, shout their relief at not having been taken to the police station.
“All that for that,” exclaims one of them.
And we would be tempted to give him reason as the large-scale police operation targeting this wild encampment where dealers and consumers gather, seems vain, despite the assurances of the police headquarters.
Appointed on July 20 to replace Didier Lallement, the new prefect Laurent Nunez wanted to show that he was implementing the instructions of Gérald Darmanin, formulated during his investiture, namely to solve the problem of crack in Paris in one year.
This Tuesday noon, 450 police officers were therefore deployed in this deprived area, on the edge of the ring road to control this "open-air consumption site" where "trafficking" and "criminal acts" take place, all generating "number of nuisances for residents", in the words of the first cop in Paris.
The “repressive component” in action
Pending the implementation of a new crack plan involving local authorities, ARS, police and associations, Laurent Nunez claims to take care of the "repressive component" which is based on several points: occupying the sector with "200 police officers deployed" every day from Stalingrad to the communes of Pantin and Aubervilliers, “judicial police operations to dismantle crack trafficking networks” and “the treatment of foreigners in an irregular situation”, numerous on the camp.
But this police operation is struggling to convince residents who have stalked the prefect to express their anger.
“We can't say that we live in the district, testifies a resident of the Quatre-Chemins district a little north of Forceval.
We women do not feel safe, we have already been threatened verbally and physically.
I'm scared every time I push the door of my condominium because I don't know if I'll find a drug addict behind the door.
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And the operation of the day did not really dissipate the resentment.
"For the moment, the prefect is doing a bit of cinema," said another resident.
There were a lot of arrests, that's good, but I didn't have time to ask him what happens the day after the arrests?
A journalist had been able to ask him the question a little earlier, but the prefect had dodged.
“Fifteen crack cakes a day”
Chased away by the police, crack users “will wait further, at the other deal point, in Stalingrad, before returning,” replies Laura, 28, bleached hair and black tracksuit over her shoulders.
Accustomed to the place, the young mother says she consumes “fifteen crack cakes a day”.
"I was on heroin but I managed to quit," she explains, pointing to the bite marks on her forearms.
But crack I can't do it.
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And in fact, it is this impression of a sword in the water that afflicts the residents.
“We have nice speeches but we do not see the end of the tunnel”, blows a neighbor.
Since their installation by the prefect Lallement, almost a year ago, each police operation has only very temporarily chased away crack users who always end up coming back and stranding themselves in this square of despair.
Paris
Crack in Paris: Residents of the Square de la Villette consider the situation "unlivable"
Justice
Crack: The town halls of Paris, Pantin, Aubervilliers and Seine-Saint-Denis take legal action
Paris
Ile-de-France
Crack
Laurent Nunez
La Villette
Drug traffic
Police