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Thursday, March 28, 2024

French protest police brutality, clashes erupt

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French protest police brutality, clashes erupt
French protest police brutality, clashes erupt

Clashes erupted at a protest against police violence on the streets of Paris on Saturday (December 5), as protesters hurled projectiles and police fired back tear gas.

The beating of a Black man and a proposed security law have stoked anger.

Lucy Fielder reports.

A standoff on the streets of Paris, as dozens of hooded protesters hurled projectiles at riot police, smashed up shop windows, torched cars and burned barricades, during a demonstration against police brutality.

Police fired back volleys of tear gas.

Thousands had set out marching peacefully before the clashes erupted to urge French President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party to scrap a draft security law they fear would curb civil liberties.

The bill would restrict rights to circulate images of police officers on duty, which critics say would make it harder to hold the police to account in a country where rights groups allege systemic racism.

A backlash against the law was intensified by the beating of a Black man, music producer Michel Zecler, by several police officers.

The incident was captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage that went viral and headed news bulletins.

Violent clashes broke out between protesters and police at a similar protest last week.

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