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On Saturday, November 28, there were several protests across France against the controversial security bill introduced by the majority supporting President Emmanuel Macron. In total, according to the Interior Ministry, around 130,000 people participated in the protests in major French cities.
The law is highly criticized because it introduces a new crime for those who disseminate images capable of “damaging the physical and moral integrity” of police officers. Many of the protesters also protested a related event, namely the beating suffered a few days ago in Paris by Michel Zecler, a man arrested for not wearing a mask near his home, by three policemen (later suspended).
Massive crowd at Place de la République in Paris to protest Macron’s crackdown on civil liberties and proposed legislation that would criminalize the filming of law enforcement. One of the many protests nationwide #freedom #StopLoiSecuriteGlobale pic.twitter.com/3ilnQ6228x
– Cole Stangler (@ColeStangler) November 28, 2020
The largest march was organized in Paris, where 46,000 people had gathered according to the Interior Ministry. The world writes that the demonstration was largely peaceful, but that groups of protesters set fire to a branch of the Bank of France, threw paper bombs and later clashed with the police.
Citing sources from the Ministry of the Interior, Le Figaro writes that 23 members of the police were injured after the clashes in Paris. It is not yet clear how many protesters were injured or arrested during the march, which was dispersed with water cannons around 7pm when it reached Place de la Bastille.
Parisian policemen (DOPC) beaten, lynched, trampled, bomb victims. Various serious injuries to skulls, loss of consciousness. From CRS burned to Molotovs … #freedom pic.twitter.com/4XMKTLua2h
– Linda Kebbab (@LindaKebbab) November 28, 2020
New clashes on the Place de la Bastille. The police use water cannons. @Le_Figaro pic.twitter.com/j6kvfSg72o
– Stanislas Poyet (@stanislas_poyet) November 28, 2020
In Lyon there was a procession in which more than 7 thousand people participated: here there were also clashes between protesters and the police, who used water cannons at night.
Using the water cannon #Lyon #SecuriteGlobale #Violencepolicieres pic.twitter.com/fGNHIZUTcJ
– Bill Denbrough (@Bismuthback) November 28, 2020
Macron has yet to comment on today’s demonstrations or clashes with the police. The Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, condemned the violence against the police, which he defined “Unacceptable”.
The security bill, passed earlier this week in the House and awaiting discussion in the Senate, was immediately criticized by both Macron supporters and the left. To try to quell criticism, the government made it clear that newspapers and televisions could continue to show images of police officers without having to blur their faces, and before the passage to the Chamber the government added an amendment to specify that the article 24 of the law -the one that contains the prohibition of showing police images- “will not be an obstacle to the right to inform the public.”
The government’s adjustments have not appeased the criticism, which in recent days has been welded with protests over the beating of Zecler, whose images have circulated widely on social networks. “If we can no longer take photos or videos, who will protect us from police violence?” Asked a 24-year-old protester who spoke with The world.
Also in France, as in the United States and other European countries, there has been a long discussion about police abuse and violence against ethnic minorities. French police are predominantly white and have been accused for years of becoming increasingly violent and disproportionately attacking Blacks, North Africans (and people of North African origin) or members of marginalized minorities. The resistance of the police to any attempt at change and the strong influence of the police unions have so far held back any meaningful reform.
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