Besançon courthouse attack

Besançon courthouse attack
The Besançon courthouse, in 2021
Location of Besançon, in France
Location	Besançon, France
Coordinates	47.2374843°N 6.0236485°E / 47.2374843; 6.0236485
Date	9 May 1970 10:30 pm (Paris)
Weapons	IED
Deaths	0
Injured	0
Perpetrator	Right-wing extremists
No. of participants	Two
Motive	Political terrorism

A terrorist attack targeted the Besançon courthouse on 9 May 1970. It was perpetrated with a bomb by two men from OAS and UDR movements, in a context of resurgence of far-right violence in France.

Attack

On 9 May 1970, at 10:30 pm, the place du Huit-Septembre (September 8 Square) was shaken by an explosion.^[1] The Besançon courthouse was just attacked^[2][3] with a bomb containing explosives and scrap metal.^[1] Damage was substantial but limited : only the porch, the bay windows, and the salle des pas perdus (hall of lost steps), partly classifieds, were seriously affected.^[1] A couple and their baby narrowly escaped the impact, but no one injuries were reported.^[1] The mayor, the socialist Jean Minjoz, immediately condemned this act, while the investigation began.^[1] Witnesses said they saw a man throw a device through, before escaping in an accomplice's car.^[1] At first the attack was attributed to the left^[3][4][5] but two individuals were arrested on 14 May with the number of their a registration plate.^[1] They were former soldiers, workers at the Rhodiaceta factory, one was a member of the OAS and the other a member of the UDR^{[3][6][4][7][8]} acting for defiant motives possibly related to access to power through the SAC.^[9][10][2] The suspects admitted the facts, while weapons and ammunition were found.^[1]

See also

• 2005 Planoise Forum fire
• Saint-Michel cinema attack

References

1. Willy Graff for L'Est Républicain, April 6, 2021 : « Savez-vous que Besançon a été frappé d’un attentat en 1970 ? ».
2. Christian Bougeard, René Pleven - Un Français libre en politique, 1994, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 473 pages, ISBN 9782868471291, page 310.
3. Hervé Hamon et Patrick Rotman, Les années de poudre - Volume 2, Auguste 29, 2016, Éditions du Seuil, 704 pages, ISBN 9782021342468.
4. Dominique Lejeune, La peur du rouge en France - Des partageux aux gauchistes, 2003, Belin, 303 pages, ISBN 9782701132419, page 248.
5. Le nouvel observateur, 1974, page 28.
6. L'Année politique, économique, sociale et diplomatique en France, 1970, Éditions du Grand Siècle, page 31.
7. Gérard Vincent and Véronique Aubert, Les Français, 1945-1975 - chronologie et structures d'une société, 1977, Masson, 383 pages, ISBN 978-2-225-82120-2, page 200.
8. Le Monde, May 16, 1970, « Besançon : les deux auteurs de l'attentat contre le palais de justice n'étaient pas des gauchistes »
9. Sébastien Laurent, Politiques du renseignement, 2009, Presses universitaires de Bordeaux, 355 pages, ISBN 9782867815485, page 132.
10. Bernard Thomas, Les provocations policières, 1972, Fayard, 508 pages, page 385.