French Ministry of Justice, Private Businesses Hire Private Security To Protect Employees
8th November 2024
The security situation in the northern and eastern districts of Paris has deteriorated to such an extent that some companies have been forced to set up private security teams to protect their employees when they take public transport, for fear of muggings and robberies.
The area concerned is located on the border between the 19th arrondissement of Paris and the suburban town of Aubervilliers, renowned for its public safety concerns. For many years, the area has been selected by public authorities for administrative offices and by companies for their operation—supported by tax incentives. Ultra-modern buildings with pompous names stand side by side: Millénaire 1 and Millénaire 3 are both home to the BNP Paribas bank.
The problem is that the neighbourhood is plagued by drug addiction. Drug addicts roam the streets, assaulting passers-by for money. “We call them ‘zombies’. They try to score something when they’re going through withdrawal. They break car windows to get change, urinate and defecate in parking lots,” a policeman told Le Figaro, adding, “It generates constant insecurity for people. We can also run into crazies who pull out a knife.”