France: Security forces fire tear gas at people protesting for press freedom

French Police on November 28 fired tear gas at demonstrators, who were protesting against the new police security bill. Put forth by President Emmanuel Macron in the French Parliament, the bill makes it a criminal offence to share images of on-duty police with the aim of harming their 'physical or psychological integrity'. The bill says that the guilty will be punishable with up to a year in prison and a maximum of 45,000 euro fine. Further, the bill makes it mandatory to blur the faces of police officials while using their images by any journalists or civilians.

Protests in France 

The situation went out of control when the crowd threw stones and fireworks at police. Civil liberties groups, journalists, and people who have faced police abuse were concerned that the new bill will hamper the freedom of press and also help in spreading police brutality. According to the reports by AP, Assa Traore, a prominent anti-brutality activist whose brother died in police custody in 2016 said, “We have to broaden the debate, and by doing that, we say that if there were no police violence, we wouldn’t have to film violent policemen”. Assa was one among the 46,000 people who were protesting against the new development. 

Read: France Sees Mass Protest Against New Security Bill Aimed To Curb Police Identification

(Protesters march during a demonstration against a security law that would restrict sharing images of police, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 in Paris. Image Credits: AP)

(Assa Traore, center, sister of Adama Traore attends a demonstration against a security law that would restrict sharing images of police, Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 in Paris. Image Credits: AP)

(Demonstrator holds a poster reading "I write your name, Freedom", during a demonstration Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 in Lille, northern France. Image Credits: AP)

(Demonstrator holds a poster reading " All monitored except the police, stop global security" during a demonstration Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020 in Lille, northern France. Image Credits: AP)

As per the reports by AP, the crowd included journalists, journalism students, left-wing activists, migrants rights groups and citizens of different political ideologies. The chief editor of French Newspaper Le Monde, Luc Bronner said that the law is ‘unnecessary’. He said, “There are already laws that exist to protect civil servants, including police forces when they’re targeted, and it’s legitimate – the police do a very important job”. He added, “But that’s not what this is about. It’s about limiting the capacity of citizens and along with them, journalists, to document police violence when they happen”. 

Read: France: Protests Against 'draconian' Security Law That Restricts Sharing Image Of Cops

Meanwhile, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin supporting the bill claimed that Article 24 was important to 'protect those who protect us' following reports of police officers being frequently targeted and threatened. Last month, a police station in Champigny-sur-Marne, in Paris' south-eastern suburbs, was attacked by a crowd armed with fireworks and metal bars. Furthermore, the scrutiny of French police, including its use of extreme force, has been on the rise after a series of incidents were captured on video and shared on social media platforms, as per reports.

Read: 'Worrying Message To Send': France Passes Bill Restricting Publication Of Image Of Police

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(Image Credits: AP)