Photo montages praising violent deaths implicating police or gendarmes, racist insults or mockery against singer Camélia Jordana, who said she felt in danger in front of police officers, racist comments in reaction to the rally against police violence which gathered 20,000 people in Paris on Tuesday evening.
Our colleague from StreetPress reveals racist messages exchanged on a Facebook group, “TN Rabiot Police Officiel”, which brings together some 8,000 people, mainly police, gendarmes or relatives of officials.
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Messages with racist, sexist or homophobic overtones, which, for some, call for murder, also target Théo Luhaka, seriously injured during a police check in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in 2017 or Assa Traoré, Adama Traore’s sister, who died in 2016 after being arrested by the gendarmes. The case, in the international context of denouncing police violence following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, has become a French symbol of police violence.
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Revelations that also come after information revealed Thursday by Mediapart and Arte about racist messages exchanged privately on Whatsapp messaging by Rouen police. The case started with the filing of a complaint by a black police officer, assigned to the Administrative and Judicial Assistance Unit, against six of his colleagues from Rouen after discovering that he was the target of racist remarks on their part .
In this case, a preliminary investigation was opened and the IGPN is seized. The police officers in question were referred to the disciplinary council for racist comments.
Reporting to prosecutor
Reacting to the information from StreetPress, the Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner seized the justice Friday, carrying out a report as allowed by article 40 of the code of criminal procedure.
“If proven, these unacceptable words are likely to seriously damage the honor of the national police and gendarmerie, whose men and women are engaged on a daily basis to protect the French, including against racism and discrimination. This is why the Minister of the Interior has decided to seize the public prosecutor “, specifies the entourage of the minister.
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