Several prisons across France have reportedly endured a series of coordinated attacks overnight, according to Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin. The incidents, which include vehicle arson and automatic gunfire, have raised alarms about prison security and criminal activity nationwide.

Reports indicate several establishments were targeted, including those in Toulon, Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Nîmes, Valence, Luynes, Villepinte, and Nanterre. Specifically, a prison in Toulon was shot at with automatic weapons, while vehicles in prison parking lots were set ablaze in multiple locations.

Darmanin, in a post on social media platform X, announced plans to visit the affected Toulon prison to personally support the officers dealing with the aftermath. Although he did not assign direct blame for the incidents, he assured the public that the French government is committed to measures aimed at disrupting criminal networks currently plaguing the nation.

This wave of violence reflects rising tensions surrounding prison conditions and the ongoing challenges posed by organized crime in France.