Tatiana Geiselmann, edited by Philippe Folgado // Photo credit: PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP 8:50 p.m., February 15, 2024
Firefighters were once again targeted in Haut-Rhin. No less than four attacks have been recorded in the department in three weeks. The last one took place this weekend, near Mulhouse. A traumatic event, according to Michael Pacanowski, CFTC representative of the Haut-Rhin firefighters.
It's a story that's been repeating itself lately, firefighters are being attacked more and more in France. In Haut-Rhin, no less than four attacks have been recorded in the department in three weeks. Each time, firefighters were targeted during rescue interventions. The latest took place this weekend, near Mulhouse.
“They started to threaten them, to insult them”
“The ambulance had left for an intervention on the public highway. Except that, while leaving for this intervention, they were stopped by people in the street,” explains Michael Pacanowski, CFTC representative of the Haut-Rhin firefighters. These people informed the firefighters that a person was unconscious in their home following a fight. The firefighters go to the scene, it's a trap.
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“Once they arrived at the apartment, they found themselves surrounded by people from the family. They started to threaten them, insult them and it quickly escalated.” The firefighters found themselves cornered in the apartment, the family members began to take out shards of bottles and knives.
“They urgently called the police, who intervened quickly.” An intervention which made it possible to prevent the worst, but these men are now psychologically affected: "There are many colleagues who are wondering about the future in the profession. It is becoming complicated for us to act and to carry out our missions calmly.