With Floyd’s death, French anger grows over police brutality

France’s government is scrambling to address growing concerns about police violence and racism within police force , as protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in U.S. stir up anger around world.

country’s top security official, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, was holding a news conference Monday after Floyd-related demonstrations in cities around France. Castaner promised last week to be “unforgiving” with violations by police, but pressure is growing on government to act.

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French President Emmanuel Macron has stayed unusually silent so far both about Floyd’s death and what’s happening in France. Macron’s office says he spoke to prime minister and or top officials over weekend, and asked Castaner to “accelerate” plans to improve police ethics that were initially promised in January.

Last week, Paris prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into racist insults and instigating racial hatred based on comments allegedly published by police in a private Facebook group.

Website Streetpress published a string of offensive messs that it said were published within group, though ackwledged that it is unclear wher authors were actual police officers or people pretending to be police. Some of reported comments mocked young men of color who have died fleeing police.

Separately, six police officers in rmandy city of Rouen are under internal investigation over racist comments in a private WhatsApp group. Both incidents have prompted public concerns about extreme views among French police.

French activists say tensions in low-income neighborhoods with large mirity populations grew worse amid coronavirus confinement measures, because y furr empowered police.

At least 23,000 people protested in cities around France on Saturday against racial injustice and police brutality, even defying a police ban on such protests in Paris due to fears about spreading coronavirus.

Activists marched Monday in western city of Nantes, and more demonstrations are planned in France on Tuesday, when Floyd is being buried.

(AP Photo/Daniel Cole)