Lacoste ordered that under no circumstances were the insurgents to be fired upon. But beyond Lacoste no helpful authority was forthcoming; the outgoing Gaillard felt he was no longer responsible, and Pflimlin had not yet been sworn in. In an attempt to pacify the mob, Ducournau—unable to make his voice heard—appeared on the balcony with a blackboard bearing the words: "I have just telephoned Paris to call for a government of public safety." The crowd applauded, but continued with its sack of the building.

XREF: Echoes the classic pattern of coups succeeding when authority is ambiguous or in transition between governments.

Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Alge…, loc. 869