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- In another large demonstration against police violence and security law in Paris, riots broke out.
- Dozens of hooded men threw bullets at police, set cars and barricades on fire and smashed shop windows.
- The police used tear gas and arrested 42 people in Paris.
- The protest had started peacefully that afternoon.
In the early afternoon a march with the slogan “March for freedom and justice” began in the east of the French capital. There were many young people among the protesters, but also trade unionists. Some chanted: “Macron, enough!” or ‘Security law, no, no. Social security, yes, yes ».
Car burning and arrests
During the afternoon, incidents broke out in Paris between the police and hooded rioters who, according to local media, had mixed with the peaceful protesters. Cars were set on fire and several shop windows were damaged, as can be seen in the television images. A small truck was burning in a street, a thick cloud of black smoke hovering over the area. A bank branch was completely dismantled, the windows and interior badly damaged. Numerous fires were started along the entire demonstration route. In the evening, the situation had calmed down.
“The rioters are destroying the country,” criticized Interior Minister Darmanin. Eight security guards were injured and 64 people were arrested across the country. Isolated clashes have also reportedly occurred in Nantes and other cities.
According to the Interior Ministry, more than 52,000 people took to the streets across the country, 5,000 of them in Paris. The organizers usually give significantly higher numbers. However, this is well below the mobilization of last weekend, when, according to the authorities, 46,000 people took to the streets in Paris alone; at the end of the demonstration there had been massive riots in the capital.
Controversial article of law
A group made up of unions, journalists ‘and victims’ associations, and human rights organizations called for a nationwide protest. In other cities like Lyon, Lille or Toulouse, people took to the streets against the planned law.
A few days ago, the government majority announced that it would review the particularly controversial Article 24 of the Security Law, which aims to restrict the distribution of recordings by police officers. However, the organizations are calling for this passage to be removed entirely. The law also provides for other heavily criticized measures. This includes, above all, the expansion of video surveillance by the police, for example during demonstrations and with the help of drones. According to the government, this is intended to protect the police.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Friday that he wanted to set up an online platform early next year where people can report discrimination, for example by the police. Some police unions harshly criticized the plans.
