Protests in France: Marine Infantry’s Involvement Embarrasses Ministry of Defense

Ongoing protests have shaken France, resulting in some breaches of rules as the European country sought to restore order in Paris and other cities. After circulating images and testimonies allegedly showing Marine Infantry personnel involved in supporting other forces to suppress the chaos in the city of Lorient, the French Navy has launched an investigation into these claims, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Local newspaper “Le Télégramme” published photos of masked individuals from “riot opposition groups,” as they are called, engaging in confrontations with rioters and attacking them in the city on Friday night.

A 25-year-old man, who claimed to be a member of the armed forces, told “Ouest-France” newspaper that he and around 30 of his colleagues intervened to support the police so that “the country would not burn.”

The Ministry of Defense stated in a press release to “France Presse” agency that the marine unit “Forfusco,” based in Lorient, has initiated an investigation that is currently underway. No further comments will be made until the results are known.

Fabrice Loher, the mayor of Lorient, told the same agency that he could not obtain confirmed information about what happened but mentioned seeing masked individuals. He believed they were troublemakers.

“What matters to me is what Forfusco has to say,” he added, expressing his concern about the impact of the incident on the city’s reputation.

French authorities have arrested over 3,500 individuals during the past week in the worst riots witnessed in French cities since 2005. The unrest ignited after a police officer killed a young French-Algerian man during a traffic stop.

The disturbances spread from impoverished areas in Paris to dozens of other regions, at times with groups of troublemakers outnumbering the police.