July 21, (THEWILL) – Following the embarrassment of the UEFA Champions League final at the Stade de France in Paris, Laurent Nuez, has replaced Didier Lallement, as the Chief of the Paris police.
Both before and after the game, there were issues with the crowd, with Liverpool supporters being trampled, doused in tear gas, and refused admittance despite having tickets. Lallement initially blamed the disorder on the actions of Liverpool fans, but he later apologised and accepted full responsibility for the incidents.
Yet, his retirement is not directly related to that singular incident, as he had previously declared he will retire in the summer before turning 66 on August 27.
Revealing the minor staff restructuring, Gerald Darmanin, France’s Minister of the Interior, posted on Twitter: “The President of the Republic, on my proposal, appointed Laurent Nunez Prefect of Police. It is the choice of an experienced man who knows the Prefecture of Police perfectly and who has held many national responsibilities.
“The safety of Ile-de-France residents will be our priority.”I would like to pay tribute to Didier Lallement for his actions, in difficult conditions, in a context of significant terrorist threat, at the head of the Prefecture of Police over the past three years. He is a credit to the Republic.”
In a letter to police officers, Lallement stated that the Saint-Denis scandal was the only blemish on his three and a half-year tenure: “I’m still wounded from the failure of the Stade de France. Certainly, that evening, we saved lives but the reputation of the country was damaged. That the French flag has been sullied is a pain for me and a responsibility that I must assume.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
