Darmanin warns of lynch law risk due to insufficient severity of sentences for looters

French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin made a statement on the need for harsh punishment for those who engaged in looting. He warned that otherwise, citizens might take justice into their own hands.

Statement during visit to Lille

These remarks were made during Darmanin's trip to Lille. The minister stated that as of the time of his speech, 149 individuals were under arrest or pre-trial detention on suspicion of looting.

«Якщо ми не матимемо такої надзвичайно суворої кримінальної відповіді, то мешканці будуть вершити правосуддя самостійно. Завдання правосуддя – вершити правосуддя в ім’я Республіки, французького народу, і не допускати думки, що правосуддя треба вершити самостійно» (If we do not have such an extremely strict criminal response, residents will administer justice on their own. The task of the judiciary is to administer justice in the name of the Republic, the French people, and to prevent the idea that justice should be administered on one's own), the head of the Ministry of Justice emphasised.

Assessment of looters' actions

Darmanin stressed that the judiciary is extremely strict, as the actions of looters constitute a betrayal of France, the economic life of entrepreneurs, as well as the image of the city and the country.

Information about this statement by the French minister was published by TF1 television channel.