France’s UNITE police union took to the streets of Paris on Thursday, protesting poor working conditions and a lack of legal protection for officers as a fresh wave of student demonstrations puts police tactics back under scrutiny.
Footage shows union members applauding and waving light sticks during a gathering at Le Grand Rex, before marching towards Place de la Republique.
“While police officers on the ground, on the front line, are poorly paid and given contradictory instructions, senior civil servants here are being handsomely paid. At the same time, the French are being told there is no money, no budget,” said UNITE union national security Linda Kebbab.
Kebbab also criticised the lack of legal protection for officers accused of excessive force, pointing to the Yellow Vest protests that erupted in 2018 and saw violent clashes, allegations of police brutality and hundreds of injuries.
“We also organised this movement and this mobilisation to say: stop putting our colleagues in danger all the time,” she explained.
“Colleagues have no choice but to use intermediate weapons because they are in danger, and then they stand alone before magistrates to account for their actions, while those giving the instructions are not held accountable,” Kebbab added.
Kebbab also slammed senior officials for their ‘statements that make no sense’, warning that Saturday’s demonstrations against the cost of living crisis and rising fuel prices could push tensions to breaking point.
“If one of our own falls tomorrow […] I think we will reach a point of no return, and everyone will have to take responsibility. Of course, that includes the government, our police authorities and the Interior Ministry, who are not taking responsibility,” she warned.
Frederic Souillot, general secretary of the Force Ouvriere trade union confederation, also accused police chiefs of fuelling hostility between officers and young demonstrators.
“Trying to turn young people against police officers and create mistrust towards the national police is not acceptable for us […] each time we always manage to find solutions. But it is the hierarchy that gives the orders,” he said.
The rally followed weeks of nationwide student protests over teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and deteriorating school conditions.
Nearly 8,000 people have been arrested, while police union UNITE says 937 officers have been injured in three weeks. More than 170 students have also been reported injured, with police facing accusations of excessive force during the unrest.
Source: Viory
