Last month, thousands marched in protest at a proposed “licence to kill” law seeking to establish a legal “presumption of self-defence” for police officers and gendarmes using firearms in the line of duty.
The law, opposed by civil rights groups, leftwing politicians, the magistrates’ union and the UN, would in effect shift the burden of proof on to victims and their families to demonstrate that a police shooting was disproportionate.
In essence, critics argue, it would institutionalise police impunity; reinforcing, once more, a security culture that treats public dissent and social tension not as democratic realities to be managed, but as insurrections to be repressed. The battle for France’s streets is far from over.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/20/france-culture-violent-policing-protests-riots
Unlike in Germany or the Netherlands, French unions, while they may strike often, are not formal government negotiating partners. The top-heavy, presidential structure of the Fifth Republic marginalises institutional consultation.
That means a heavily centralised state often passes laws with little popular agreement, making the “power of the street” one of citizens’ few viable means of forcing concessions. Protest here is regarded as a civic duty and a legitimate democratic tool.
That creates a vicious circle. French authorities see large crowds as an existential threat, so send in the police. Their military-style tactics entrench the aggression and alienate peaceful demonstrators. This prompts the more radical groups to opt for more violent tactics. But rather than isolating those elements, police respond with baton charges and munitions. And that turns protests into battles.
Evan, a 15-year-old studying carpentry at a vocational high school, had a hand blown off in the explosion of a police stun grenade outside a school protest in Lens, northern France, on 5 October. His lawyer, Bertrand Wattez, said: “His injuries resemble war injuries.”
Wattez said Evan had gone to school to attend class and discovered a protest under way. He said Evan had not taken part in violence and denied the Béthune state prosecutor’s assertion that the grenade had been picked up from the ground. When the grenade exploded, Evan lost his left hand, several fingers from his right hand and suffered injuries to other parts of his body. He remained in hospital “in a very difficult condition” and his family had filed a criminal complaint, Wattez said.
Another boy, Eden, 14 – who had been near a school protest in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, north-west of Paris – suffered extensive facial injuries, including two fractures to his jaw, the loss of his bottom teeth and all his top teeth broken after he was allegedly hit by a shot from a grenade launcher.
His lawyer, Elsa Marcel, said the shot from a grenade launcher was fired at close range, from a distance of 1.5 metres. “This is the equivalent of war weaponry,” she said. The family has filed a legal complaint for attempted murder.
“I don’t think the British are aware that their money is being used to beat French kids.”
The interior minister explained the youth that it’s actually just a communication issue: they don’t understand that the police protects them (the kids, naturally). Actually French cops have a unique arsenal of weapons across Europe… for this brilliant result.
i can’t say i feel especially sorry for some of them… https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c6e3xjw37wn7o
a proverb that politicians need to learn
“If the young are not initiated into the tribe they will burn down the village just to feel its warmth.”
or they will be shot with live ammo 🤷♂️
or they will be shot with live ammo 🤷♂️
are you on this community by mistake? I didn’t post on politics@lemmy.world
this post is about what’s happening in france. The day “live ammo” is used to repress protests, you’re no longer talking about a “protest” or “policing”
you’re no longer talking about a “protest” or “policing”
what a concidence, i am not talking about any protest. i am talking about mindless illiterate mob performing an act of vandalism. destroying invaluable cultural artifact is not a protest, it is a crime. and the severity of the crime should dictate severity of the response.
are you on this community by mistake?
oh? did i miss some rulebook issued by anarchist headquarter on how to be proper anarchist? people like you do anarchism bad name.
people like you do anarchism bad name.
you know nothing about me.
what a concidence, i am not talking about any protest. i am talking about mindless illiterate mob performing an act of vandalism. destroying invaluable cultural artifact is not a protest, it is a crime. and the severity of the crime should dictate severity of the response.
france is proud of its ‘french revolution’, for example. I guess, if you were there at the time, you would be talking “about mindless illiterate mob performing an act of vandalism. destroying invaluable cultural artifact”. Go kiss your king’s arse and get the fuck out of here.
you know nothing about me
unless someone else is writing your comments, i know something. that is kinda the point of internet discussion.
I guess, if you were there at the time, you would be talking “about mindless illiterate mob performing an act of vandalism
oh boy. you are in for a big surprise when you finally graduate elementary school, open high school history book and find out about the rabble who took power during that revolution. there is a reason corresponding chapter in the books is called reign of terror and dictator seizing power at the end of that ordeal suddenly looked like not that bad deal for most of the people.
Go kiss your king’s arse
i don’t have a king. i live in a democratic country where sure, things could be better as everywhere, but we don’t just burn down cultural artifact or 10 yo car belonging to our neighbour trying to survive as everyone else, just because netflix is down and we couldn’t think of anything better to do with our time.
get the fuck out of here
oh no, does someone challenging your kinder-anarchism make you nervous?
oh no, does someone challenging your kinder-anarchism make you nervous?
No. But i checked your post/COMMENT history. Bye.
direct link to the video for those who can’t get through www.bbc JavaScript nightmare ☞ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85f6Tn_BfPI
