In France, more than 30,000 people march against police violence and systemic racism

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In total, 120 demonstrations against police violence took place across the country this Saturday, bringing together 31,300 people, including 9,000 in Paris, according to figures given by the Ministry of the Interior. According to the organizers, 80,000 people marched throughout France, including 15,000 in the capital, the CGT and LFI told AFP, who called for mobilization alongside dozens of organizations including collectives from working-class neighborhoods. , NGOs, parties but also unions.

In Paris, after a calm departure around 3 p.m. from the Gare du Nord, a pre-procession of hundreds of individuals dressed in black and hooded was formed, damaging the windows of several bank branches and stoning a police car, noted an AFP journalist. This car, stuck in traffic on Boulevard de Clichy, was attacked “ with an iron bar », indicated the Paris police headquarters. One of the police officers then briefly got out of the vehicle, weapon in hand to keep the demonstrators at bay, according to several videos posted on social networks, confirmed by a police source.

A “ intervention of the Brav ”, named after this controversial unit of motorcycle police officers, then “ allowed to stop the action and shelter » the police officers present in the vehicle, added the prefecture. “ The Parisian demonstration experienced unacceptable violence against the police. We see where anti-police hatred leads », reacted on Twitter (renamed X) the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin.

In total, six people were arrested throughout France, said the Ministry of the Interior, according to a report communicated at 7 p.m.

“ Stop state violence »

In Paris, many families gathered in a “ national coordination against police violence » demanded the truth for “ Othmane “, ” Alassane “, Or ” Mahamadou », names of these men killed under the blows of the police. The gathered crowd chanted “ Police everywhere, justice nowhere “, ” No justice, no peace ” or ” Justice for Nahel », from the name of this 17 year old teenager, killed three months ago by a police officer during a road check in Nanterre. A death which had triggered a wave of riots in all the countries.

The demonstrators, of all ages, held signs proclaiming “ Stop state violence “, ” Neither forgetting nor forgiveness “, or “ The law kills », with a statue representing justice with red-crossed eyes, criticizing article 435-1 of the internal security code, which expands the possibility for the police to shoot in the event of refusal to comply.

“ Depending on the neighborhood we come from, our religious or ethnic affiliation, we are not intercepted in the same way by the police. », Estimates Jalilah at the microphone of RFI. For Brigitte, who is a yellow vest, there is an urgent need to disarm the police: “ It’s not just the dead, there are also the mutilated. (…) The police can carry out order work without being armed like assassins. »

“ A march in defense of the Republic »

Several LFI elected officials were present, like Mathilde Panot. This demonstration “ is certainly not what Mr. Darmanin says, that is to say an anti-police march, but a march in defense of the Republic », affirmed the MP.

The Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin sent a letter of support to the police and gendarmes on Friday September 22 and called on the prefects to issue a ban order if necessary and report the messages “ bearers of insulting and outrageous slogans against the institutions of the Republic, the police and the gendarmerie likely to fall foul of the law “.

In other cities, the organizers’ slogan ” against systemic racism, police violence and for public freedoms », brought together a few dozen to a few hundred people, without notable incident. Between Villeurbanne and Lyon, 1,700 people, according to the prefecture, marched behind banners and placards. In Lille, the procession brought together 400 to 500 people.

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(And with AFP)