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| France shooting sparks mass brawl involving 'up to 600' | |
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| A drug trafficking-related shooting in the western French city of Poitiers escalated into a brawl on Thursday night involving up to 600 people, French authorities say. | A drug trafficking-related shooting in the western French city of Poitiers escalated into a brawl on Thursday night involving up to 600 people, French authorities say. |
| Five people were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting at a restaurant in the city, including a 15-year-old boy who was left in critical condition after being shot in the head, police sources told the AFP news agency. | Five people were seriously injured in a drive-by shooting at a restaurant in the city, including a 15-year-old boy who was left in critical condition after being shot in the head, police sources told the AFP news agency. |
| Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the incident as an alarming sign of drug-related violence escalating in the country. | Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described the incident as an alarming sign of drug-related violence escalating in the country. |
| It follows a shooting in the north-western city of Rennes last week which killed a five-year-old boy. | It follows a shooting in the north-western city of Rennes last week which killed a five-year-old boy. |
| "These shootings are not happening in South America, they are happening in Rennes, in Poitiers, in this part of western France once known for its tranquility," Retailleau told broadcaster BFMTV. | "These shootings are not happening in South America, they are happening in Rennes, in Poitiers, in this part of western France once known for its tranquility," Retailleau told broadcaster BFMTV. |
| "We are at a tipping point and the choice we have today is a choice between general mobilisation or the Mexicanisation of the country," he said, alluding to Mexico's widespread issues with street crime and violence perpetrated by drug cartels. | "We are at a tipping point and the choice we have today is a choice between general mobilisation or the Mexicanisation of the country," he said, alluding to Mexico's widespread issues with street crime and violence perpetrated by drug cartels. |
| The mayor of Poitiers called it "a new episode of violence unacceptable for the neighbourhood". | The mayor of Poitiers called it "a new episode of violence unacceptable for the neighbourhood". |
| Shots were fired from a passing car, injuring several young people, police sources said. | Shots were fired from a passing car, injuring several young people, police sources said. |
| Pictures from the scene in Place de Coimbra, an area of the city known for drug-related crimes, showed the restaurant's facade riddled with bullet holes. | Pictures from the scene in Place de Coimbra, an area of the city known for drug-related crimes, showed the restaurant's facade riddled with bullet holes. |
| The shooting then triggered fighting between rival groups in the area, according to police. | The shooting then triggered fighting between rival groups in the area, according to police. |
| "Tensions between groups broke out, requiring the intervention of the police and the gendarmerie," Vienne regional police said in a statement. | "Tensions between groups broke out, requiring the intervention of the police and the gendarmerie," Vienne regional police said in a statement. |
| Retailleau said "400 to 600" people were involved in the melee. | Retailleau said "400 to 600" people were involved in the melee. |
| He was scheduled to visit Rennes, the capital of Brittany, on Friday following the shooting on 26 October, in which a five-year-old boy sitting in a car was shot in the head. Authorities confirmed the shooting was also drug-related. | He was scheduled to visit Rennes, the capital of Brittany, on Friday following the shooting on 26 October, in which a five-year-old boy sitting in a car was shot in the head. Authorities confirmed the shooting was also drug-related. |
| The drug trade in France has long been viewed as centred in the southern port city of Marseille, where at least 17 drug-related killings have been reported since the start of the year. | The drug trade in France has long been viewed as centred in the southern port city of Marseille, where at least 17 drug-related killings have been reported since the start of the year. |
| But researchers say the influence of drug trafficking in France in recent years has spread beyond the main hubs of Marseille and Paris, external to medium-sized towns and even rural areas. | But researchers say the influence of drug trafficking in France in recent years has spread beyond the main hubs of Marseille and Paris, external to medium-sized towns and even rural areas. |