Following the largest riots in France in years, citizens arrested at protest sites are standing trial in succession.

With the government warning of strict punishment for violent acts, some defendants denied the charges, while those who admitted to participating in looting appealed for leniency.

According to the U.S. New York Times on the 21st local time, speedy trials for suspects arrested at the protests have been taking place consecutively at a Paris court recently.

As of the 20th, the number of people detained nationwide exceeded 2,500, with about 550 of them arrested in Paris.

While this is a fraction compared to the more than 500,000 people who participated in the protests on the 17th, the surge in trial demand has led the court to double the number of courtrooms assigned to speedy trials compared to usual.

In France, speedy trials are generally applied to minor offenses such as traffic violations, theft, and assault, and primarily deal with suspects caught in the act.

The New York Times reported that it observed 14 speedy trials held at the Paris court on the 20th, 10 of which involved young men, many from working-class neighborhoods on the outskirts of Paris.

Victor Bertout, a 21-year-old living in a northern suburb of Paris who is studying video production, was charged with throwing stones at police and participating in setting up barricades on the 17th.

Prosecutors claimed that he was in possession of a smoke flare at the time.

Before the judges, Bertout denied the charges, stating that he did not throw anything or build any barricades.

He also claimed that he merely tried to pull wooden planks out of a burning trash can to prevent the flames from spreading, only for police to rush over and beat him.

Bertout's attorney argued that his client was simply "in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Mustafa Dembele, an 18-year-old learning tile installation, has lived in France continuously since moving there with his family at the age of 8 from Senegal, a former French colony.

He was arrested around 11 p.m. on the 17th on charges of throwing bottles and shooting fireworks at police.

At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of seven stolen pairs of glasses and a designer T-shirt. Dembele claimed he found them on the street and "did not know they were stolen goods."

Dembele stated that he did not see the fireworks or tear gas fired toward police at the scene.

When the judge asked, "Then why were you wearing a mask?", he could not answer.

Friends Aite Longeron (21) and Dalvis Mbuku Samba (20) were tried on charges of stealing whiskey bottles from a grocery store in the Marais district.

Longeron stated that he and his friend found the store open, wandered around inside, and took the alcohol to celebrate his birthday.

Police noted in their report that Longeron was in possession of a "window-breaking tool," but Longeron claimed it was a "work tool."

Longeron works as a delivery rider, while Mbuku Samba was job hunting.

The judge pointed out that Mbuku Samba had written on a messenger application, "We're going to loot everything" and "We stole a bunch of bottles."

Ultimately, the two admitted their wrongdoing and apologized, saying, "What we did was not right" and "There will never be a second time like this."

An attorney representing the store owner stated that the owner took refuge in the basement for several hours while about 130 people looted the store.

He estimated the damages at 45,000 euros (approximately 67 million won).

All four individuals were found guilty on this day and sentenced to 6 to 8 months of probation.

This means they will only be imprisoned if convicted of another crime within the next five years.

A civil trial to determine the compensation Longeron and Mbuku Samba must pay to the store owner is scheduled for May next year.


Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin promised a stern response to those who turned largely peaceful protests into riots.

The government has repeatedly accused far-left insurgent groups and opportunistic criminals of orchestrating the violence.

Appearing on television, Minister Darmanin stated that 95% of those detained are men and 70% are adults, and that among them are not only "those with immigrant backgrounds and foreigners" but also "French people who are fully integrated into society."

(Photo: Getty Images)