French Plod Protests

[Borg Refinery]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-06-12/french-police-demand-government-support-after-chokehold-ban%3f_amp=true

PARIS —

French police defied a ban on mass gatherings to protest what they see as a lack of government support, marching shoulder to shoulder Friday in central Paris to show their anger against new limits on arrest tactics — including a ban on chokeholds — and criticism of racism in their ranks.

The marchers went down the Champs-Elysees avenue, which was the scene of violent clashes with protesters just a few months ago.

The French government's decision to ban chokeholds is part of its efforts to stem police brutality and racism folowing global protests over George Floyd's death in the U.S. French police have taken issue with any suggestion of systemic racism in their ranks.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said earlier this week any "strong suspicion" of racism would be punished, in response to investigations into racist comments on closed Facebook and WhatsApp groups for police.

Friday's protest was small but highly visible, with honking, flags and blue smoke blowing under rainy skies. It came after police outside Paris laid their handcuffs on the ground outside some police stations. As officers marched close together, with hardly a mask in sight, Paris police issued a bulletin confirming that anti-police protests planned this weekend were banned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Friday's group walked unimpeded to the interior ministry, which is next to the presidential palace and has been barricaded against demonstrators since the 2018 "yellow vest" protests that frequently ended in violent clashes. Uniformed guards appeared startled at the arrival of the protest but did not intervene. After a minute of silence for dead police officers, they sang the French national anthem, spoke briefly and dispersed.

"How dare they ban us from using deadly tactics taught to US & Israeli military forces! We should be free to shoot directed energy weapons & RPGs at them too! It's not my fault that banlieu gollies commit the crimes! Merde she wrote!"