After multiple incidents of brutal police violence, thousands of people took to the streets in France on Saturday to protest against that violence and a controversial change in law protecting the police. The French Ministry of the Interior estimates that some 133,000 people have demonstrated across the country.
–
There were demonstrations in Strasbourg, Marseilles, Lyon, Bordeaux and Lille, among others. In the northern French city, about 1,400 people have argued, according to the prefecture.
There were riots in Paris and the Breton capital Rennes. In Paris, protesters erected barricades, set a car on fire and threw objects at the police. In Rennes, where barricades were also erected, the police used tear gas.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, 46,000 people have ended up on the streets in Paris alone. News channel BFMTV made mention of nine arrests in the French capital.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin labeled the violence against police officers as “unacceptable.” According to him, dozens of members of the security forces were injured. Darmanin announced on Twitter that according to preliminary figures, 37 police officers had been injured.
According to the government, the amendment aims to better protect the police, for example by prohibiting the distribution of video images of police operations. However, many see freedom of the press under threat.
Precisely through such images, two brutal police actions could be seen this week: Monday the aggressive evacuation of a migrant tent camp, Thursday how a black music producer was tackled. The arrest of four agents involved in the case was extended on Saturday.
– .
