France
Newly elected mayor of Saint-Denis, Bally Bagayoko (La France Insoumise), has confirmed his intention to begin a gradual disarmament of the municipal police, a key promise of his campaign.
Speaking on French television, the mayor emphasized that the reform would be progressive rather than immediate:
“We are going to enter a process of disarmament, but it is not the priority right now.”
The initial phase targets less-lethal weapons, particularly rubber bullet launchers (LBDs), which Bagayoko considers dangerous and difficult to control.
According to him, these weapons can lead to “serious consequences” and should be removed first.
However, firearms will remain in use for now, pending further evaluation and policy development.
The mayor insists on adapting the reform to the realities of a city of over 150,000 residents:
He also noted that Saint-Denis’ municipal police was not armed before 2020, reinforcing his current stance.
This initiative is part of a wider vision promoted by Bagayoko:
The announcement has already sparked strong reactions:
