Breton Revolutionary Army - Popular Support

Popular Support

Until the McDonalds attack in 2000, the ARB and Emgann had enjoyed widespread support throughout Brittany. While this support has largely dwindled over the years, as evidenced by the various nationalist protests organized over the years by Emgrann and which have managed to regroup less than two hundred people, a number in sharp contrast with the thousands of supporters the FLB used to attract in the 1970s. Nonetheless, the ARB managed to maintain, at the very least, a form of toleration from the wider population who recognize the merit in their fight. Most of all the nonviolent nature of the group (refusing to spill blood to achieve their goals), until 2000, served to maintain that support as the Breton people, including the group’s most ardent supporters consider non-lethal violence a more respectable form of protest than the opposite. The death of Laurence Turbec had a tremendously negative impact on the group’s popularity. Both Breton leftist and right wing groups condemned the attack. The UDB clamored for the perpetrators to turn themselves in. Similarly, the POBL (right wing party) worried this might signal an ideological drift from the ARB toward a more violent type of radicalism, such as that of their ETA counterparts. Emgann’s spokesman, Gael Robliin, as well, called the act itself unacceptable and unjustifiable. Former ARB members, similarly denounced the attack and said the ARB should justify itself publicly.

Pierre Locquet as well, said to be sickened by the attack, criticized the amateur nature of ARB members, pointing out that in the 1970s, ARB members would always stay nearby so as to ensure that the explosive would work as intended and that no casualties would be sustained.