Journalists refuse to "keep pace" with Gérard Darmanin

CRS in Montpellier, September 7, 2019 (illustration) -

In its new “National law enforcement plan”, intended for police officers and gendarmes and made public on September 17, the Ministry of the Interior recognizes the need for “better consideration of the presence of journalists within law enforcement operations, based in particular on better mutual knowledge ”.

A text which “undermines the freedom to inform”, are alarmed about forty SDJ (journalists' companies), including AFP, Arrêt sur images, BFMTV,

,

, Europe 1,

France 2, franceinfo and

, in a column published Tuesday on the

website

, calling on the Interior Ministry to "correct" these measures.

"In a context already very degraded for journalists during their coverage of the demonstrations", the new "national plan of the maintenance of order", published Thursday, does not conform to the "French and European principles of the freedom of informant ”, say the signatories.

"Prevent journalists from fully reporting on protests"

This plan provides in particular for "the creation of a channel of exchange between the police and journalists holding a press card, and accredited to the authorities", remind the signatories.

"The exercise of the profession of journalist, defined in the labor code, does not require the possession of a press card", retort the SDJ, "both for the coverage of demonstrations in the public space for the identification ”required for protective equipment.

In addition, the document "recalls" that "the offense of remaining in a crowd after the summons does not include any exception, including for the benefit of journalists or members of associations".

A "green light granted by the Minister of the Interior to the police to prevent journalists from fully reporting the demonstrations, including their dispersal or their slippage", according to the editors.

A text which intends to "bring to the line" journalists

This is all the more "unacceptable" as it "follows many police abuses observed against journalists during recent social movements and denounced, among others, by the Council of Europe", believe the SDJ, calling on the "Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, to correct" his copy.

In a statement released Friday, the National Union of Journalists (SNJ) also denounced this text which, under the guise of "ensuring optimal consideration of journalists" during the demonstrations, intends according to him "to bring them into line".

"Under Christophe Castaner", the predecessor of Gerald Darmanin, "more than 200 journalists" were "prevented from working by the police and gendarmerie", says the SNJ.

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• Freedom of press

• Media

• Hurry

• Demonstration