Escalating Violence: Drug-Related Shootings Trigger Mass Brawl in Poitiers**

Five individuals were seriously injured, including a critically wounded 15-year-old, following a shooting linked to drug trafficking in Poitiers, leading to a brawl with about 600 participants. Authorities raise alarms over increasing violence in previously safe areas of France, comparing it to issues seen in Mexico.**

A recent incident in Poitiers, a western French city, has brought to the forefront the alarming rise of drug-related violence in France. Last Thursday night, a drive-by shooting at a local restaurant left five people seriously injured, including a 15-year-old boy in critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. This incident did not only result in serious injuries; it also ignited a massive brawl involving an estimated 400 to 600 individuals in the vicinity.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau responded to the violence, calling it a distressing indicator of escalating drug-related crimes within the country. He referenced a prior shooting in Rennes that resulted in the tragic death of a five-year-old child, emphasizing that such violence is now occurring in regions of France previously considered peaceful. "These shootings are not happening in South America; they are happening in Rennes, in Poitiers," Retailleau stated during an interview with broadcaster BFMTV.

The mayor of Poitiers expressed his dismay over the incident, denouncing it as "a new episode of violence unacceptable for the neighbourhood." Following the drive-by shooting, tensions reportedly intensified between rival groups, causing significant disruptions and necessitating police intervention to restore order.

According to Vienne regional police, the ongoing issues with drug trafficking in France have expanded beyond urban centers like Marseille and Paris, infiltrating smaller towns and rural areas. Retailleau mentioned that this surge in violence poses a "choice between general mobilisation or the Mexicanisation of the country," referencing the severe crime rates associated with drug cartels in Mexico.

As French authorities grapple with these challenges, attention remains focused on the rising dangers posed by drug-related violence, which has increasingly put communities at risk across various regions of the nation.