Are the Comparisons to Guerilla Warfare Really that out of Place, or Just Embarrassing?

The excerpt below from an interview with a policemen in Saturday’s Le Figaro speaks for itself.

Can you describe what Black Monday was like for law enforcement?

At Hélène at around 6:30 p.m. we were called in to back up fellow officers who were getting stones and Molotov cocktails thrown at them in the housing project. We ran in as a unit with our helmets and shields. We received permission to fire rubber bullets and tear-gas grenades. I had a spotlight and tried to illuminate the targets.

Where were the rioters?

Dozens of them were about fifteen meters from me when two tear-gas canisters were released. Suddenly, I heard the slam of detonations. Four of my colleagues crumbled all at once. I found myself alone and I grabbed a shield to avoid becoming a target. We have to protect our fallen wounded. Shortly thereafter, a sniper in a bush, maybe the same shooter, kept firing at us. We had to take cover like rabbits while they kept up their deluge of projectiles. The thugs really wanted to kill a cop ...

The worst was thus averted ...

Absolutely. In a corner, a stranger pulled out a pump action shotgun. Then I saw a colleague drop his shield when he got hit in the legs. The then drew his pistol. He waited for the shooter to reload before he could fire.

Just ” youts”.

Elsewhere 20 Minutes elaborates on a injury of a Chief of Police in one of the better know hellholes.