Arles Prison Hostage Situation Ends Safely
In the Southern French city of Arles, a prison inmate held four medical staff members and a guard hostage for several hours. The hostage-taker, a 37-year-old man incarcerated for rape, reportedly demanded a transfer to another prison.
The French Ministry of the Interior confirmed the safe resolution of the incident. Minister Gérald Darmanin praised the prison staff and law enforcement for their dedication and professionalism. There were no reported injuries.
The Arles prison houses inmates serving lengthy sentences who pose a security risk, according to Le Monde. In March 2022, Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna was assaulted in the same prison. Colonna, convicted for the 1998 murder of Corsica’s governor, later succumbed to his injuries.
