MARIGOT--Seven youths have been summoned to court to answer charges relating to an incident on July 11 in French Quarter where two Gendarmerie patrols were called out for an emergency on false pretences and then subjected to a hail of stones and other projectiles thrown at them by the suspects. The incident began with two phone calls made alerting Gendarmes to an emergency in French Quarter where a riot was taking place with weapons. Two patrols immediately responded but when they arrived there was no riot. Instead Gendarmes found themselves ambushed, the report stating “they were suddenly and brutally set upon by the gang” and were subjected to insults and stones thrown at them and their vehicles.
One Gendarme was injured in the head and one rock smashed the windscreen of one of the patrol cars.
Not wishing to escalate the violence by calling in back-up and retaliatory options the Gendarmes retreated when there was no sign of the insults abating. However, in the course of this disturbance the perpetrators were identified and on July 17 and 18 seven young
St. Martiners were held and taken into custody. The one who made the hoax phone calls will be charged for giving false information and provoking an intervention by the Gendarmerie to an incident that did not exist. He has been summoned to appear in the juvenile court. Another who played a major role in the violence has been summoned to court in September 2017. Three other minors were also summoned to the juvenile court. Two other minors escaped a summons as there was not enough evidence as to their involvement.
