French Prisons Under “terror attacks” Amid Drug Trafficking Clampdown

French authorities are probing coordinated attacks on multiple prisons across France—featuring arson and gunfire—claimed by a group calling itself “French Prisoners’ Rights Defense” (DDPF), which frames the actions as protests against prison human rights violations. Officials describe the incidents as terrorism linked to a broader crackdown on drug trafficking, citing record cocaine seizures (47 metric tonnes in the first 11 months of 2024) and recent high-profile busts. In response, ministers announced heightened protection for prisons and staff and plans to add 3,000 prison spaces to address severe overcrowding, asserting the attacks aim to intimidate the state amid intensified anti-narcotics measures.