Since the passage of the pension reform, Thursday March 16, 2023, spontaneous demonstrations have taken place every day in Paris and throughout France. If at the beginning it happened without violence, the testimonies of abusive arrests are multiplying.
Monday, March 20, the secretary general of the CGT union Philippe Martinez denounced an increase in the repression of demonstrators which was not justified. Since then, the testimonies have multiplied. Several people recount having been beaten with truncheons. At the time of videos which are easily relayed on social networks, we can see images, and in particular that of a demonstrator receiving a particularly violent blow to the face from a police officer.
On the morning of Wednesday March 22 on France info, the prefect of police Laurent Nuñez justified himself.
“What my officials say is that they arrested an individual who, with a paving stone, degraded this kiosk. All this is verifiable and I will verify it. Then, of course, the individual was arrested and several individuals violently opposed this arrest. So they were repelled and it was within the framework of this maneuver that this blow was given. Again, I will obviously determine if it was suitable or not and I will take all necessary measures. I obviously asked for an administrative investigation as soon as I became aware of these videos and like all the others we have seen”.
Laurent Nunez also specified that there had been 755 arrests in Paris since last Thursday and that the firefighters had to intervene 85 times. But the prefect of Paris ensures that there are no massive arrests.
This is not the opinion of the magistrates
The Paris prosecutor’s office indicated that over the first three days of spontaneous demonstrations, 425 people had been arrested. Only 52 of them had been prosecuted at the end of the procedure. This means that the police pick up a lot of people, including people who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Wednesday, March 22, in a press release, the Syndicate of the judiciary condemned: “ this policy of repression of the social movement and all the illegal police violence that has allegedly occurred in recent days “. The SM calls that they do not remain without follow-up, without waiting for new tragedies”. The magistrates who specify that freedom of expression and demonstration is an essential right of democracy.
In addition, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) notes that several clearly identified journalists were attacked by the police while they were covering demonstrations against the pension reform.
►Also read: Pensions: unions call to remain mobilized, rallies everywhere in France
The concerned rights defender
Here too, it is the consequences of these preventive arrests that are worrying. Rights defender Claire Hédon recalls the rules of ethics in the maintenance of order. In addition, three rebellious deputies wrote to the Ministry of the Interior to demand the dismantling of the BRAV-M, the brigade for the repression of motorized violent actions. It is a policeman from this brigade who is involved in the punch mentioned above.
This aggressive policing is also denounced by the demonstrators. The police multiply the traps, in other words the encirclement of the demonstrators by blocking the streets. In principle, it is illegal if all goes well. This is clearly indicated by a decision of the Council of State. Law enforcement must always give people a chance to move around and get out of the trap. However, RFI journalists in the field found that this was not the case, including during completely calm demonstrations. The context did not justify it.
For their part, police officers quoted by Mediapart say their discomfort. They obey orders and explain that the Minister of the Interior wants to secure Paris as a priority. But some think they are on the eve of an insurrection and many of them fear a tragedy. In other words, the death of a protester.
►Also read: Pension reform: young people are also mobilizing and want to harden the movement