Where is the Law & Order in France?

royandsharont
royandsharont Forum Participant Posts: 735
100 Comments

In October we fell foul outside Pau of demonstrating travellers blocking our way into the city to visit, and spend money I might add, and the Police were present in good numbers but took no action to clear the highway. I have just read an article
HERE when demonstrating French Farmers in Provence attacked a Spanish lorry carrying fruit to Vienna. Not the first time I have read of similar behaviour. They allegedly pulled the contents onto the road & set fire to them and then damaged
the remainder inside the vehicle with a fire extinguisher. The report says the police were present and did nothing. During the Calais problems last autumn the Migrants did the same setting tyres alight on the motorway and again the police took no action. How
does the law stand in France, obstructing the highway and criminal damage springs to mind straight away which I think would not be tolerated in the UK? Does anyone know why France appears to be different? Regards, Roy

Comments

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited February 2016 #2

    France is no different from the UK.  Here we see some travellers who spoil the countryside, break into local property and leave a huge mess for the council to clear up

    The police seem to be powerless to stop the menace. 

  • royandsharont
    royandsharont Forum Participant Posts: 735
    100 Comments
    edited February 2016 #3

    That may be the case Kennie but you do not give any examples, as above, where the apparent breaking of the law is done right in front of the police who do not act. I doubt anywhere in the UK any police would fail to act immediately when present at an incident like the theft/damage to the lorry cargo when they were present in sufficient numbers to deal with the matter.

    The issue in the UK of travellers tresspassing on land is not actually a police matter, it is for the local authority or the land owner, just like squatting.

    Regards, Roy

  • fur ball
    fur ball Forum Participant Posts: 155
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    edited February 2016 #4

    Maybe the police in France still serve the people and agree with there protests where here the police serve the goverment. 

  • crusader
    crusader Forum Participant Posts: 299
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    edited February 2016 #5

    You know how dis interested the french police are with port strikes, it's as if they condone any action that disruptes anyone or anything

    Paul

  • KenAndKathleenReay
    KenAndKathleenReay Forum Participant Posts: 61
    edited February 2016 #6

    There was a Fuel Price protest which caused significant disruption on the A1M in the not too distant past, with little or no Police action. Plus, "Traveller" problems as already mentioned. In addition, there are numerous examples of fairly large scale "protests" with few if any arrests in the UK.

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #7

    Perhaps the French have a better record of tolerance than we have had in the UK over the last 200 years. 

    1819 - The Peterloo massacre in Manchester when the cavalry were sent with swords in to charge a crowd seeking voting reform. 1834 - the Tolpuddle martyrs in Dorset were transported to Australia  simply for joining a Trade Union. 1917 - Churchill ordered troops to fire on miners on strike at Tonypandy. 1909 - Suffragettes seeking votes for women were roughly manhandled by police , put in prison and force fed.

    I had better not give the recent examples or I will be Deleted User for being political, but it seems the French are allowed to express their views in a way that the British are not. 

     

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited February 2016 #8

    If you think serving the people and tolerance includes the ability of protesters to entrap and frighten families in there vehicles when going on holiday then heaven help us!