French official resigned after car burned down twice in five months

In the commune of Saint-Pierre-de-Cores, near Tours, an elected French official has decided to resign after his car was set on fire twice in front of his house in just five months.

The Mayor of Saint-Pierre-de-Cor, Emmanuel François, said this week that he has decided to resign after Ganya Bugadba, the deputy head of housing, said he was intimidated and afraid.

“Harassment, harassment, intimidation, he cannot hold his office unnecessarily,” said Mayor François, noting that his duties were handed over to other elected officials earlier this week, according to France Bleu.

According to statistics released by the Ministry of the Interior, the number of attacks and threats against French mayors in 2020 tripled compared to last year, as aggression against elected officials increased across the country. https://t.co/FW1UB5k8R2

– Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) May 31, 2021

Bugadba’s car caught fire twice in five months last year, most recently in late December. That same night, there was another arson attack on Laurence Lefebvre’s home, with boxes placed at the door of his home and set on fire.

Mayor François at the time described the arson attacks as attempted murder and said: “I am angry and furious. I strongly condemn these actions.” According to France Bleu, the arsonists have not yet been identified and the investigation into the attacks continues.

This week, Mayor Francois commented on the level of threats and violence against local authorities and said he was not afraid despite the attack on his own doctor’s practice.

“What worries me about the future is the increase in violence in our society. It is time for politicians to set an example.”

Attacks on elected officials in France have become a growing problem, according to a report that said attacks on French mayors in 2021 tripled last year in 2020.

The Association of French Mayors (AMF) said that a total of 1,276 acts of aggression were carried out in 2020, including threats and acts of violence against French mayors, and that at least 60 parliamentarians were attacked in the same year.

‘We will cut off your head’: France mayor threatened after beheading teacher https://t.co/BKS8bhJHPi

– Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) 24 October 2020