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Mulhouse Court Convicts 10 Yellow Vests Over Arson of Mobile Phone Masts in Haut-Rhin

Judges rejected the organized-crime charge, issuing milder terms than prosecutors sought after arsons that cut phone service.

Overview

  • The court found 10 defendants guilty of destruction of others' property by dangerous means and acquitted four, dismissing the criminal-association count for all.
  • Prison terms reached two years for the heaviest sentences, with portions suspended or served under electronic monitoring, undercutting requests of up to six years.
  • Investigators linked nine mast fires from January 2019 to January 2020 to a repeated method using petrol-soaked tyres ignited near electrical boxes, causing phone disruptions.
  • Telecom operators SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Orange are pursuing civil claims estimated at €5–9 million, with a damages hearing set for February 3.
  • Some defendants described designated roles and a political intent, with one stating the attacks aimed to create a resonance at the highest level of the State.