Police chief loses job over Sarkozy's show-biz chum

   
President Sarkozy has stirred up a fuss today by dismissing the senior police official on Corsica.

Dominique Rossi, coordinator of the island's internal security, was removed because he had taken no steps to prevent nationalist protesters from briefly occupying a villa at Porto Vecchio that is owned by Christian Clavier, the comedy actor.

Since Clavier is one of Sarkozy's close friends, everyone assumes that Rossi was removed on orders of the President. "It says a lot about the regime we are in," said François Bayrou, leader of the small MoDem centrist opposition party. "It's a ruling by the Prince. These are arbitrary and disproportionate decisions which show where you get to when all powers are concentrated in the same hands."

François Hollande, the Socialist leader, called for an explanation. "I want to believe that it was not because it was the home of Christian Clavier that he was punished," he said. 

The Interior Ministry said that Rossi, who ran the police and Gendarmerie on the island, had been reassigned to Paris on the orders of Michèle Alliot-Marie, the Minister. He had made an error of judgment in failing to send police to block the protest last Saturday after being tipped off in advance, it said.   

The main police union has sided with Rossi, saying he is a highly respected and experienced officer who had acted appropriately. "There was no mistake, there was no damage, the demonstration was peaceful," it said.

The action by about 50 nationalists was standard Corsican stuff. They strung out banners denouncing the "colonisation" of the island and the supposed plundering of its beauty by mainland property speculators. Clavier, who was not there, apparently gave orders to his staff to let the demonstrators into his garden and given them a drink.

Sarkozy loathes the hardline nationalists, with their banditry and lack of respect for the law of  "le continent", as they call mainland France. The President cherishes his friendship with Clavier, a popular star who is known to the outside world for playing Astérix in the first two movies about the cartoon Gaul.  Unless there is more to the story than appears, it is very unlikely that the police chief would have been removed without an order from Sarko. The episode does not make him look good.

[Below: the demonstration that got the police chief fired]

         

      

Comments

[Rick]

Someone has to stand up for the little man, Charles, so I’ll volunteer. True, Nick can be a bit of a twit. But he’s got several more ‘cojones’ than his immediate predecessor… to say nothing of flabby old Europe: step forward Gerhard Schröder and Herr Steinmaier!

[richard.jones]

Yes Rick one has empathy, but Nick needs to be a little steadier, more measured, gather in and gird up a little more gravitas, especially in this 'media addicted' world where one's actions are public immediately (sometimes sooner) before a chap, or chapesse can get the corollaries, extenuating circumstances, riders, quid pro quos and sine qua non's on the same Internet.
Nick needs more think, think than blink, blink.
Medvedev, even with a weak case, has a more statemenslike gravitas and earnest seriousness than Nick and is thus more convincing than he should be, especially with his Kosovo argument and allegory.

[Julio]

L'etat RPR dans toute sa splendeur , I'm afraid.

Frankly , it's the lil' man prerogative to sack whoever he wants , he sure is not the first to act that way , he just totally un-ashamed about it.

Rupture , my ass !

excuse my french.

"Medvedev, even with a weak case, has a more statemenslike gravitas and earnest seriousness than Nick and is thus more convincing than he should be"

True. But isn't it maybe be that Myedvyedev has more gravitas because HE'S GOT NOTHING IN HIS HEAD worth saying. Hmm.

[dot king]

This is, so they are saying, the first time that the Corsican security forces and the nationalists have been on the same side - both are protesting what they see as an extreme measure.

A police spokesman said (radio this morning) that in situations such as this negotiation gets better results than brute force and that "on ne cherchait pas la bagarre".
It was also said that Rossi was close to fin de carrière as if this might have a bearing - will this affect his retirement, pension etc? (They never tell me the full story - I question the radio, but it never answers.)
No "promotion" to Place Beauvau for him then?
Sarkozy manages to make himself look worse and worse IMO.

[dot king]

Rumour is also that Patrick Devedjian is for the chop as head of the UMP - to be replaced by a little-known newcomer - probably no-one on this blog will ever have heard of him - now let me think, ah yes gottit - Jean Sarkozy isn't it??
No relation of course, perish the thort! ;D

[Francois D]

For once a police officer acts with intelligent manner in an area where explosive risk is always important, he is sanctioned. That may break down goodwill.

Sarkozy very well knows Corsica and the police. He was during a long time Interior Minister and has managed this difficult issue with some success. His first wife was Corsican and this helps ...

Tonight on France Info, the head of nationalists, the lawyer Talamoni, seemed pleased by that happened. He was even embarrassed to indirectly praise of a policeman. He also reported that the villa was part of a domain owned by the President of the Assembly of Corsica. Politic and affairs...

Corsican do not want that foreigners (everyone who is not Corsican) built houses, particularly on the coast. They have an unstoppable way of dissuasion: to explode what they do'nt want with gas cylinders, outside the presence of continental owners, ie often during winter.

If I was Clavier, I would take a good insurance, if he finds one.

As says Jacques Maillot, a tour operator boss, who has had problems with Corsicans (I d'nt remember exactly but probably headquarter explosion): "in Corsica that begins by a manifestation and that finishes by an explosion".

But I fear that the police wil have to monitor the villa 24h/24, which will be expensive for the taxpayer.
Corsica is already so expansive for all french taxpayers... No need for Sarkozy to order because the police chief knows what awaits him if the house explodes.

It should be noted that last month, the BNP bank, after a manifestation in its local desk, has to give up a mechanism to finance the purchase of properties in Corsica by non-residents.

http://www.lejdd.fr/cmc/societe/200832/corse--la-bnp-jette-l-eponge_137684.html

[Rick]

FRANCOIS, ‘For once a police officer acts with intelligent manner…’ is what you wrote. Er…, don’t policemen have to uphold the rule of law? I presume I’m being dreadfully naïve. As a matter of fact, I cannot recall ever seeing a French policeman alone. So, do they always go around ‘mob handed’? And, is Corsica a ‘no go’ area? (If so, perhaps the Corsicans should be told, not to mention the French National Tourist Office.)

[azloon]

[But isn't it maybe be that Myedvyedev has more gravitas because HE'S GOT NOTHING IN HIS HEAD worth saying.] Anon

and nick has too much worth saying.....

an unfortunate complication of a neurological disorder commonly referred to as 'five brains.'

[Francois D]

RICK:

I am not sure that one is always in a "law state" (Etat de droit) in Corsica. This is an euphemism...

It's in the local culture (Mediterranean culture) ... The Corsicans have the tradition of doing justice themselves (Vendetta).

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendetta_(justice_priv%C3%A9e)

If they are provoked, they will feel empowered to defend themselves by all the means they have chosen. Separatists play very well with that.
One must therefore be very careful, more than elsewhere, to escalation risks in the violence.
What is reproached to the policeman is the interpretation of an information transmitted by hierarchy, as well CB explains:
"He had made an error of judgement in failing to send police to block the protest last Saturday after being tipped off in advance ...."

One does not know how this information was obtained but it seemed to come from central service in Paris (or have passed through ...).

I wanted to say that it seemed to me that this policeman was rather to congratulate because he has avoided a confrontation.

Note that his name is Rossi: such a name, facilitates exchanges with local population. I hope he will soon retire in Corsica, in a beautiful house, as its name allows.

I even think he could drink pastis, each day, with independentists (to talk and laugh about Sarkozy).

[Francois D]

One can not speak about Corsica without mentioning polyphonic songs. Initially, exclusively reserved for men:

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=x0Vx392S2Lw&feature=related

but since 70's, women are taking power ...

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?docid=-739227889774809050&vt=lf&hl=fr

If you go on holiday, a day, in Corsica, it is essential to reserve at least one evening to Corsica songs. Emotion and beauty guarantees.

[Francois D]

For those who will never have chance to go to Corsica: a small tourist trip (3'30) with a polyphonic singing.

http://www.dailymotion.com/relevance/search/bastia% 2Bchants/video/xq9j5_i-chjami-aghjalesi-a-catena_music

It is understandable (and approval) that separatists want to preserve the beauty of their country.

and this song also:

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=jBA29P9h_20&feature=related

With my apologies for this double post

[richard.jones]

To the anonymous poster,

I'm sure that Myedvyed(y)ev's - to use Azloon's much more phonetically correct transliteration - head is far from empty. I'm sure hi-octane Russian nationalism is PUTIN on a daily basis.

[Rick]

FRANCOIS, Thank you so much for the information. I appreciate your frank admission that the rule of law may not prevail in Corsica. (Entre nous, l’état de droit est bien moins répandu qu’on ne prétend : certains quartiers de Londres, par exemple.) Nevertheless, we must act ‘as if’ the rule of law prevailed. ‘Mais, c’est du bluff!’ you may reply. Quite so, but that’s what civil servants have to do.
You plead the ‘special case’ line: the Corsican is different. Yes, and so is the Scot, the Walloon, the Welshman, the Shia, the Pushtun, ad infinitum. At the end of the day, everyone’s a ‘special case’. However, once one accepts that ‘special case’ alibi, consistency demands that arrangements be made: ‘homelands’, ‘reservations’, or ‘protected areas’.
Of course, there’s a touch of the ad absurdum argument here. Most countries try to ‘muddle along’ with their troublesome regions. Similarly the police chief was wise to avoid an unnecessary confrontation. (Would Napoleon leave it to his adversary to decide when to fight?) All the same, as we (cynically) say in England, ‘His mistake was to be found out’.
But France has always been a centralising, controlling sort of state. For this reason, some of us find the discrepancy between the French Republic’s lofty claims (“Look, I’m in control around here!”) and the grubby reality to the contrary rather… piquant.
FRANCOIS, it’s just struck me! Please tell me the police chief’s first name was Tino…

Azloon,

"neurological disorder commonly referred to as 'five brains.' (or "pentamens" :)

However, it is better to have "five brains" than no brains at all - a very common disorder ! ("nilmens")...

A propos brains - a quote of one of my wife's favourite sentences : "If one does not have brains ("tête"), one needs good legs" ...

TO EVERYBODY - OFF TOPIC :

This morning, I downloaded the new browser from GOOGLE, called CHROME.
It is very simple to use, i.e intuitive, and very fast as well. However, there are no miracles, even on Internet :)

If one is using Firefox (my case), one should close it first prior to the installation of Chrome; otherwise all the already available addressing/favorite data can't be transferred in the new software.

Hereafter the relevant link (for the French version) :
http://www.google.com/chrome/index.html?hl=fr

[christopher muir]

Sarkozy is indeed a restless figure. You'd really think that with all the complications associated with Georgia at present, he might just leave a minister to attend to a moderately small demonstration in Corsica. He should concentrate on avoiding a Black Sea confrontation. World War III won't begin in Corsica.

[V]

R.Jones:
"I'm sure hi-octane Russian nationalism is PUTIN on a daily basis."

lol I see the Joyce&Co string left traces.

Reports start speaking about the Russian president's irritation at his PM's omnipresence, as well as Putin's annoyance at his president's dullness (albeit very sober and deign in its own right) :)

[V]

R.Jones:
"I'm sure hi-octane Russian nationalism is PUTIN on a daily basis."

lol I see the Joyce&Co string left traces.

Reports start speaking about the Russian president's irritation at his PM's omnipresence, as well as Putin's annoyance at his president's dullness (albeit very sober and deign in its own right) :)

[Francois D]

FRANCOIS, it's just struck me! Please tell me the police chief's first name was Tino…

RICK: You are very grown to ask this question, meaning that you know Tino Rossi, a Corsican singer, very famous, now deceased.

But Rossi is also an Italian name...

Return to Corsican mind.. I have a good corsican friend thanks to whom I tried to understand the mentality. At a certain level when one tries to deepen (including questions about justice, networks of influence, freedom of settlement, equal tax or access to functions, solidarity with the independentists even if one d'not share opinions), he recovers corsican accent and says: "there's nothing to understand, it's Corsica, it's like that: it's in our blood".

Tino Rossi (with Frederic Chopin for compositor) Translation attached (more info).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4P1FpRwgBU&feature=related

[Rick]

FRANCOIS, isn't the so-called ‘Mediterranean mindset’, over-concerned with the ‘bella figura’ code of honour, notions of self-respect? Violence-prone, ‘macho’, hostile to women? As so often with picturesquely old-fashioned societies, the music is great. But doesn’t the music conceal the misery of many? And aren’t the ‘indépendantistes’ a sad joke. As in Wales and (especially!) Scotland.

[dot king]

Si vous avez tué un homme, allez dans le maquis de Porto-Vecchio, et vous y vivrez en sûreté, avec un bon fusil, de la poudre et des balles; n’oubliez pas un manteau brun garni d’un capuchon, qui sert de couverture et de matelas. Les bergers vous donnent du lait, du fromage et des châtaignes, et vous n’aurez rien à craindre de la justice ou des parents du mort, si ce n’est quand il vous faudra descendre à la ville pour y renouveler vos munitions.

from "Matéo Falcone" by Prosper Mérimée - it would seem not much has changed in terms of mindset and solidarity . . .

[richard.jones]

Rick,

First, unfortunately for you the sad joke is being played on England.
Secondly, and as far as I'm concerned unfortunately, Scotland has many more of the columns of independence in place than Wales - own currency(albeit with the same legally prescribed value as England), own education system, own legal system.
Wales has little but a growing use of our original language and the ability to sing and play a certain sport way above our population weight.
Now a wise country, like Switzerland, would have seen these potential disjunctions two centuries ago and made their sources cantons in a confederation. The Swiss would not have succumbed to the temptation of mixing England and UK entities, thus 'good' Scottish, Welsh and Irish things became English 'good things' and 'bad' things vehemently pushed back to their regional origin. England's arrogance and small-mindedness since the beginning of African empire got the better of her. Now she pays the price. Amen.

[John Gregory Flinn]

RICHARD JONES - While I generally agree with you in your last post, there was a bit on France 2 about 'la Suisse' last night that leads me to believe they've been 'got at' by the more loony end of the 'animal rights' lobby.
A new law is proposed whereby all animals must be bought in twos or more (for company), and goldfish must be stunned before being dispatched!

[richard.jones]

Mr Flinn,

A fish called Wanda I guess. I don't want to carp but the French frequently say daft things about the Swiss, especially as they cannot understand how a couple of million French speakers can be so very different from them, notably their incredulity regarding the French centralised statist society and economy.

Much more interesting is the Swiss press talk about Dati - perhaps Aznar, the right of centre ex-Spanish PM is the Dad, says La Tribune de Genève... Now funny how Mme Calmy-Rey (Swiss Foreign Ministress when I last looked) hates all female ministerial competition, thence Dati and Ana Palacio (Aznar's ForSec) from anywhere on the planet.
Impeccable sources in Bern say she has already put Palin in her box by saying, 'VP! Huh! I've already done a McCain on her and might do another soon'.

Oh the wild rampages of Swiss politics!! Why not take a bilingual holiday in Biel/Bienne and get two versions of everything!!! :-)

[richard.jones]

A Francois D, J'en ai quelquepart un 78 avec Tino Rossi qui chante un air corse en compagnie avec un trés jeune
Georges Thill.

[Robert Marchenoir]

Here, we get a fascinating insight in what is considered acceptable in Corsica.

Police authorities get advance warning that dozens of people are planning to trespass into a private home. A big police chief assumes that the right thing to do is... nothing.

You see, Corsican nationalists might be "offended" if authorities tried to uphold the law. It might, just possibly, indicate who's boss.

Exactly like when dealing with Muslims, by the way. In both cases, it's advisable not to run the risk to "offend". So let them offend everybody else, rather.

Unfortunately, Corsican nationalists, who are in fact thugs in disguise, have just met their match. Sarkozy has the same mafioso mentality as them: you hurt my friend? I'll get back at you like a ton of bricks.

Therefore, he fires the top civil servant with a Corsican name, who so liberally allowed his fellow nationalists to voice their "anger", trampling the law in the process.

No wonder Corsicans are so racist towards Arabs in Corsica (and so proud of it). You can't have two competing gangs of thugs with similar mentalities on the same territory.

[Daniel Strohl]

"thus 'good' Scottish, Welsh and Irish things became English 'good things' and 'bad' things vehemently pushed back to their regional origin". (R.JONES)

This reminds me of our former tennis champion Yannick Noah. His father is from Cameroun and his mother is French (or the reverse). When he won, papers wrote : "Le Français Yannick Noah a remorté le tournoi de Wimbledon". When he lost, papers wrote : Le Camerounais Yannick Noah a été battu à Wimbledon" ... Ok, it was more or less a joke, but there is often some truth in jokes.

[richard.jones]

M. Strohl,

What a lovely typo remorté (killed again with all the implications of grinding boredom)Wimbledum.
C'est bien juste. 'Quand on fait des blagues, attention, car on risque a constaté des vérités. (saying Schaffhauser)