Some 40 unidentified people tried to storm  a police station about 15 km (nine miles) southeast of central Paris on Saturday evening, police officials said.

Armed with metal bars and fireworks, the assailants arrived at the station shortly before midnight.

They left an hour later after failing to force entry into the station in the suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne.

No one was injured and no arrests were made, officials reported, but added that several police vehicles were damaged including the station's glass door.

"Violent attack last night on the police station of Champigny with mortar shots and various projectiles. No police officer was injured," the Paris police headquarters said on Twitter on Sunday, adding that investigations into the incident was ongoing.

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Motive unknown

Saturday's incident marked the third attack on the same police station in two years.  The motive of the attack was not immediately clear.

A scooter accident, which local residents blamed on thepolice, may have spurred Saturday's attack, according to Champigny Mayor Laurent Jeanne.

"It was an organised attack of about 40 people... For a few days it has been tense with people who have a certain willingness to dispute with the police," he told France's BFM TV.

Suspicions of drug-trafficking

The station, located in the heart of Champigny-sur-Marne, is located in a housing estate area known for drug trafficking and listed by Paris police as a problematic neighborhood.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin immediately tied the incident to the drug trafficking scene.

"Small gang leaders don't impress anyone and they will not deter our work fighting drug trafficking," he tweeted. "Full support for our police officers who are doing a difficult job.

François Cocq, a local teacher and former deputy mayor of the area, referred to the neighborhood as "troubled."  He said that " the ring road around it with only one entrance and one exit"  makes the suburb "complicated" for police control, French news agency AFP reported.

According to Cocq, there is only one police station for its 76,000 inhabitants, which he said "doesn't help" a neighborhood faced with drug trafficking problems.

As soon as there is tension with the police, "people come to settle their scores directly at the front door of the police," he said.

Since the end of France's coronavirus lockdown in mid-May,  President Emmanuel
Macron's government has put the country on heightened alert for increases in crime.

mvb/rc (AFP, Reuters)