France police security bill: Protests turn violent again

Dec. 6, 2020

Dozens of protesters have clashed with police in the French capital Paris in fresh demonstrations against a controversial draft security law.

Police fired tear gas after hooded protesters smashed shop windows and set several vehicles alight.

Nearly 100 rallies were planned nationwide on Saturday over the draft bill that would outlaw taking photos of police with malevolent intent.

Opponents say the bill undermines press freedom to document police brutality.

France has seen weekly nationwide protests over the draft bill, which intensified after footage emerged of three white policemen racially abusing and beating a black music producer.

Responding to the backlash, President Emmanuel Macron’s ruling party said last week that parts of the law would be rewritten. However, this has not done enough to assuage its opponents.

On Friday Mr Macron acknowledged “there are police who are violent” and said “they need to be punished”, in a live interview with Brut, a youth-focused news portal site.

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