The prefect of Police of Paris, victim of the chaos of Saint-Denis

The prefect of Police of Paris and its metropolitan area, Didier Lallement, criticized on several occasions for his management methods, such as in the Champions League final on May 28, will leave his post on July 20, according to French media reports. .

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Lallement was appointed prefect of the region in 2019 and last August he turned 65, the age limit for holding this position, but he extended his term by two years thanks to an exception provision.

The last time it was pointed out was due to the chaos at the entrance to the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, during the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool FC.

Numerous fans reported robberies and assaults, and nearly 40,000 people gathered without legal entry for the game despite having established several police filters around the stadium to avoid large crowds and problems.

admitted failure

Lallement acknowledged that the organization of security for the game was “a failure” because it led to the use of tear gas against fans, while assuming full responsibility for the decisions taken.

During a hearing in the Senate, Lallement pointed out that “there were people who were attacked when the objective was to protect them” and that the police action “damaged the image of France.”

But he indicated that the essential objective was achieved, which was to avoid injuries and deaths, while expressing his “sincere apologies” to the Spanish and English fans who may have felt harmed.

Other controversies

Since taking office in March 2019, Lallement has been in the spotlight on numerous occasions for his statements and management of certain crises such as the demonstrations of the “yellow vests” movement in 2019.

Lallement was accused, based on internal Gendarmerie documents, of having riot police officers apply practices “contrary to legislation and regulations” during the “yellow vest” protests.

On April 3, 2020, in full confinement due to the coronavirus pandemic in order to avoid vacation trips, Lallement assured in a press conference that the patients in intensive care were “those who at the beginning of the confinement did not respect it. The correlation is very simple.

Hours later, he rectified and justified that his words were trying to remember the strict need to apply the confinement in that vacation period.

He was also singled out in early 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic by ordering the evacuation of the Saint-Martin canal docks, a regular meeting place for young people, for non-compliance with the use of a mask and physical distance.