Police officers responding to a car fire in Toulouse, France, were ambushed by some 30 assailants armed with molotov cocktails, explosives, and other projectiles, according to reports.
A patrol was called to the Mirail district of Toulouse due to reports of a burning vehicle on Sunday night.
“When they had arrived on the scene, the police quickly understood that they were victims of an ambush: Kiev street was blocked by garbage containers and burning barricades,” Actu 17 reports.
“The police were immediately the target of thrown projectiles, including paving stones and tiles. The attackers also used four or five Molotov cocktails and fireworks, we learned from the same source.”
Reinforcements were called and a dozen teams armed with flashball launchers and tear gas arrived and engaged in a two-hour battle with the insurgents.
Ultimately, all of the perpetrators reportedly escaped.
A police union spokesman says the ambush was likely a very 'localized' issue attributable to drug dealers in the area.
“Drug trafficking is currently slowing down due to lockdown, and when it does not work the traffickers fall into provocation and attack the police,” said SGP regional secretary Didier Martinez.
Attacks on police have been particularly ferocious in France in recent days as riots have raged in at least 25 cities and towns after a motorcyclist was severely injured while fleeing from law enforcement.
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(PHOTO: RICHARD BOUHET/AFP via Getty Images)
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