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The controversial article punishes the dissemination of “the image of the face or any other identifying element” of the police during their intervention with one year of imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros when “compromising” their physical or mental integrity. “. Lawmakers say police officers and their families need protection from harassment, both online and in person when on duty.
“We’ll put the phones down when you put your weapons down”
In Paris human rights activists, trade unionists and journalists shouted: “Everyone wants to film the police!”. Some had signs with messages like “We’ll put the phones down when you put down your weapons.” Many demonstrators wore the famous yellow vests. Similar demonstrations were planned in Marseille, Montpellier, Rennes and Saint-Etienne.
On Tuesday, two journalists were arrested in a protest that led to clashes with police as National Assembly lawmakers began discussing the bill, which is backed by President Emmanuel Macron’s party and his parliamentary allies.
The article is on the Senate table
The article passed its first reading on Friday and will be a second reading on Tuesday. Then it goes to the Senate for debate before it becomes law. A government amendment, approved Friday by lawmakers with 146 votes in favor and 24 against, says the measure cannot “undermine the right to information”.
Prime Minister Jean Castex said he “would remove any ambiguity about the intention to guarantee respect for public liberties by better protecting police and gendarmes, which ensure the protection of the population. The new “global security” law initially aimed to broaden the scope of the municipal police and better structure the private security sector. However, in October, President Emmanuel Macron’s parliamentary majority added new security measures to demands from police unions, which complained that the police were the target of increasing threats and attacks, according to AFP.
The French law enforcement agencies were criticized in particular for the tactics used during the protests that began in 2018 and for the arbitrary arrests carried out mainly between Maghrebians and people of color.
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