About sixty policemen and gendarmes were injured during Saturday's demonstrations in 100 cities of France. 81 people were arrested. The scale of the violence committed by the demonstrators surprised the police and commentators.
In Paris, protesters destroyed m.in. the facade of the Bank of France, set fire to several luxury vehicles, vandalized kiosks and premises of the restaurant chain Hippopotamus, as well as shops, a real estate agency and a motorcycle dealership.
The protesters were also targeted by the police themselves. A group of masked protesters brutally beat a policeman who fell over during the intervention. The protesters kicked the policeman in the head and stomach, until a group of officers managed to shield his colleague with shields.
In the capital, protesters demanded the resignation of the prefect of the Paris police Didier Lallement, who is accused of tolerating violence and racist behavior among officers.
Police used water cannons and tear gas in the evening, when a peaceful demonstration turned into clashes with police in the Bastille square in Paris.
81 people were detained, and 62 officers were injured (39 in the province and 23 in Paris), the interior ministry said on Sunday.
In social networks, there are many videos depicting attacks on police officers, who are brutally beaten by demonstrators, pelted with flares and fireworks. "Paris police officers (dopc) were beaten, lynched, trampled ( ... ) several suffered serious injuries to the skull, lost consciousness. Molotov cocktails were thrown at the CRS forces, " commented Linda Kebbab, a police officer from the unitesgp Police FO trade union, on social media.
The head of the interior ministry Gerald Darmanin condemned "unacceptable violence against the police" on Twitter.
"Those who are lynching our police forces are far from defending our freedoms," said former interior minister Christophe Castaner, who was forced to resign as interior minister in July after a conflict with the police, whom he accused of racism and unjustified violence.
During the demonstration, two demonstrators were injured, as well as an independent Syrian photographer Ameer al Halbi working with AFP, who was reporting on the protest in Paris.
The organization Reporters Without Borders accused the police of violence against journalists. "We were recognizable as photographers ( ... ) we shouted + press! Pig!+". From the side, missiles were thrown at the demonstrators. Then the police carried out a raid with batons in his hands, said a witness to the beating of a Syrian photographer.
Commentators on BFM TV and CNews believe the scale of the violence by the protesters has taken police and services by surprise, who have been under public pressure over accusations of racism following the publication of several videos of police interventions last week.
The law currently pending in the parliament provides for a penalty of up to 1 year in prison and a fine of 45 thousand rubles. euro for the dissemination of a facial image or any other element allowing police officers to be identified during their interventions. Prime minister Jean Castex announced last week that Article 24 of the law would be rewritten and examined by a special legislative committee.
Former socialist president Francois Hollande called on the weekend to withdraw the draft law on global security in connection with social protests.
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