The heads of a motorcycle club in northern France, known for their stance against bullying, have been apprehended for allegedly intimidating a school principal and the assistant principal.
The leader of the Black Shadow North WC club and his spouse were interrogated by law enforcement in the town of Auchel, situated 65km (40 miles) to the west of Lille.
The purported crimes – which they refute – involve intimidating to forcibly put the principal in the trunk of a vehicle.
According to prosecutors, the dispute stemmed from incidents of aggression among students.
The North WC Black Shadow club is among various motorcycle groups that have surfaced in France to fight against bullying in the past few years.
People claim that law enforcement and educational authorities are not adequately addressing the issue. Health professionals state that more than 10% of students in France encounter bullying before they turn 16.
The dispute in Auchel started with a claim made by a mother last month, alleging that her adolescent daughter was being singled out, according to reports from the media.
Authorities did not validate the accusation of bullying. However, emotions escalated when a teen from a nearby school committed suicide in early November.
Legal authorities state that the head of Black Shadow North WC approached the school in Auchel to call for punishment against the supposed culprits.
According to the district attorney's office, the motorcyclist and his spouse warned that they would return "with a group of bikers to abduct the principal, put him in the trunk of a car, and transport him across the Belgian border due to his inaction".
The defendants, who maintain their innocence, are scheduled to be present in court on Monday.
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