Bastelica-Fesch affair

The Bastelica-Fesch affair occurred between 6-11 January 1980. Part of the Corsican conflict, three members of an anti-separatist paramilitary were taken hostage by pro-separatist militants near the town of Bastelica, resulting in a several-day standoff between the separatists and police forces in the Hôtel Fesch in Ajaccio.

Events

Hostage-taking and standoff

On 6 January 1980, a group of three men began driving towards the Corsican town of Bastelica. The three men were Pierre Bertolini, a former French soldier and member of the Service d'Action Civique, Alain Olliel, and Yannick Leonelli. The three were members of the Front d’Action Nouvelle Contre l’Indépendance et l’Autonomie (FRANCIA), an anti-separatist militant group, and were planning on assassinating Marcel Lorenzoni, a separatist militant who had taken part in the Aleria standoff in 1975.[1][2]

Before the car could reach Bastelica, it was intercepted by a group of pro-separatist militants, who stopped the car and took the three men hostage.[3] As the French authorities attempted to track down the group, the separatists took the hostages to the Hôtel Fesch in Ajaccio on 8 January, and began an occupation of the hotel. The separatists proclaimed their intention to create a media scandal surrounding covert French security services activity in Corsica, as well as to alleged collaboration between the French authorities and FRANCIA.[4]

For the following four days, the separatists barred themselves inside the hotel while the French authorities surrounded it with heavily-armed police officers. In the standoff, several clashes occurred between the separatists and the authorities. Three people were killed by gunfire over the course of the standoff; one police officer shot by one of the separatists, a young woman driving by the hotel who was hit by a stray bullet, and a 23-year-old man who was shot by the police when they mistakenly believed he was attempting to force his way through the police lines.[5]

On 11 January, following negotations, the separatists surrendered.[6][7][8]

Trial

In early 1981, several of the separatist militants who had taken part in the affair were sentenced to incarceration.[9][10]

Following the verdicts, separatist militants set off several bombs targeting French authorities across the island.[11]

Analysis

Deborah Paci of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia wrote in 2023 that the affair "helped to reinforce the image of nationalists as bringers of justice in the popular mind. The State was accused of having entered into a privileged relationship with the barbouzes operating in the FRANCIA movement."[4]

References

  1. ↑ Koch, Marjolaine (20 June 2024). "Bastelica-Fesch, quand les Corses dénoncent les barbouzes". Radio France. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  2. ↑ Kruslin, Noël (5 May 2026). "50 ans du FLNC : Aleria et Bastelica-Fesch, le paradoxe mémoriel". Corse-Matin. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  3. ↑ Stromboni, Alain (22 February 2022). "Décoration du capitaine Bertolini : plusieurs réactions dans le camp nationaliste". France Info. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  4. 1 2 Paci, Deborah (12 October 2023). "'Je suis corse, un homme de village': Towards a Study of Contemporary Corsican Nationalism (1959–98)". History. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  5. ↑ Bonifay, Sébastien (6 January 2020). "Bastelica-Fesch : retour sur l'affaire qui, il y a 46 ans, enflamma la Corse". France Info. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  6. ↑ Bauer, Denise (11 January 1980). "Corse : les événements de la nuit". Institut national de l'audiovisuel. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  7. ↑ "Terrorists Surrender". The Washington Post. 12 January 1980. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  8. ↑ Prial, Frank J. (15 January 1980). "Corsicans, Poor but Proud, Believe Siege Was Futile; Invasion of the City Hall Final Demand: A Parade A Flood of Refugees 'Corsica in Mourning'". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Les suites judiciaires des événements de Bastelica et Ajaccio Les détenus corses et la " mascarade " de la Cour de sûreté de l'État". Le Monde. 21 June 1980. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Savigneau, Josyane (27 January 1981). "AU PROCÈS DES AUTONOMISTES CORSES DEVANT LA COUR DE SÛRETÉ DE L'ÉTAT Les quatre frères Lorenzoni". Le Monde. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
  11. ↑ "40 Bombs Are Set Off in Corsica In an Apparent Retaliation Move". The New York Times. 13 February 1981. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
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