New Law in France Criticised for Harming Press Freedom, with Protest Leading to Conflicts, 20 Officers Injured and 46 Arrests
46 thousand people took to the streets of Paris, France, in protest against the new security law for damaging press freedom and offering excessive protection to the police force. The protest triggered clashes between civilians and the police. Police dispersed protestors with tear gas and water cannons while protestors threw stones, glass bottles, etc. The police said that more than 20 officers were injured and 46 arrests were made. The Prime Minister of France Jean Castex announced the establishment of an independent commission to review and redraft the new security law.
The new security law stipulated that anyone that takes photos or videos of the police maliciously are in violation of the law. Oppositions to the law criticised it as damaging to press freedom, which enables the documentation of police brutality. One of the triggers to the protest was a black music producer named Michel Zecler. Zecler was on his way to his studio on Saturday late evening (Nov 21) when he was brutally shoved into his studio and assaulted by three police officers emerging from their police vehicle, who suspected him of violating the pandemic rules requiring the wearing of face mask in public. After Zecler was severely injured and called for help, three colleagues from upstairs came to thrust the officers out of the studio. Zecler said that while he was assaulted, he heard insults of racist slurs directed at him. The whole process was captured by closed-circuit television. President of France Emmanuel Macron called the event unacceptable and shameful and had ordered the police to promptly submit a report on how to restore confidence in the police force and improve relations between the police and the public. The three officers involved have been suspended for investigation.
#France #MichelZecler #Zecler #EmmanuelMacron #Macron #PoliceBrutality #Racist #Racism #NewSecurityLaw #Protest #Paris
Source: Stand News #Nov29
https://bit.ly/2Jzito6
46 thousand people took to the streets of Paris, France, in protest against the new security law for damaging press freedom and offering excessive protection to the police force. The protest triggered clashes between civilians and the police. Police dispersed protestors with tear gas and water cannons while protestors threw stones, glass bottles, etc. The police said that more than 20 officers were injured and 46 arrests were made. The Prime Minister of France Jean Castex announced the establishment of an independent commission to review and redraft the new security law.
The new security law stipulated that anyone that takes photos or videos of the police maliciously are in violation of the law. Oppositions to the law criticised it as damaging to press freedom, which enables the documentation of police brutality. One of the triggers to the protest was a black music producer named Michel Zecler. Zecler was on his way to his studio on Saturday late evening (Nov 21) when he was brutally shoved into his studio and assaulted by three police officers emerging from their police vehicle, who suspected him of violating the pandemic rules requiring the wearing of face mask in public. After Zecler was severely injured and called for help, three colleagues from upstairs came to thrust the officers out of the studio. Zecler said that while he was assaulted, he heard insults of racist slurs directed at him. The whole process was captured by closed-circuit television. President of France Emmanuel Macron called the event unacceptable and shameful and had ordered the police to promptly submit a report on how to restore confidence in the police force and improve relations between the police and the public. The three officers involved have been suspended for investigation.
#France #MichelZecler #Zecler #EmmanuelMacron #Macron #PoliceBrutality #Racist #Racism #NewSecurityLaw #Protest #Paris
Source: Stand News #Nov29
https://bit.ly/2Jzito6