Demonstration against the Global Security law, police violence and racism, March 2, 2021 in Paris -

GILE Michel / SIPA

Several thousand people demonstrated peacefully and under the sun on Saturday in Paris and in some provincial towns, against racism and police violence.

“A demonstration which took place peacefully, with a target of 5,000 to 10,000 people.

We can say that the objective has been achieved, ”Emmanuel Vire, secretary general of the National Union of CGT Journalists, told AFP.

“Liberty, equality, éborgné”, “Blurring of mouth, blurred democracy” or “Racism, police, penitentiary and judicial violence, impunity: Stop state crimes”, “Darmacron kill our freedoms”, could one read on the placards of the demonstrators.

A large police force accompanied the parade, leaving the Luxembourg RER station to end at Place de la Bastille.

According to the Prefecture of Police, 3,500 people participated in the Parisian parade.

A collective and many slogans

This event was organized at the call of several groups, including the Network of Mutual Aid, Truth and Justice, the March of Solidarity, the # StopLoiS SécuritéGLobale Coordination or associations supporting undocumented migrants.

"Stop racism and police, prison and judicial violence!"

Stop impunity!

Truth and Justice for all!

No justice, no peace !

», Wrote in a statement the collective at the origin of the call to protest.

The demonstrators demanded in particular the immediate suspension of the agents implicated for violence or homicides and the suppression of the proposals of laws "global security" and "separatism".

Testimonies from victims of police violence were broadcast.

Assa Traoré, who has become one of the important voices in the fight against police violence since the death of his brother Adama in 2016, listed the demands of the demonstrators, in particular "the end of permanent identity checks", the suspension of the police accused of racism and "the prohibition of suffocation techniques".

“In the land of freedoms, we don't have the right to kill.

Do not kill us, we did not deserve this, ”said Christian Chouviat, the father of Cedric, who died following a police check in January 2020.

A law in the sights

Among the targets of the demonstrators was also the proposed LREM law on "global security", adopted Thursday at first reading by the Senate, with a right-wing majority, which largely rewrote it, with in particular a new article 24 creating an offense of "Provocation to the identification" of the police.

Maintained despite the containment measures announced by the government in certain departments, including those of Île-de-France, the demonstration ended at Place de la Bastille.

Gatherings were organized in other cities, notably in Lyon, Lille and Rennes, where some 400 people marched through the city center, behind the banners "Hiding police violence will not make them disappear", or " The state kills ”.

Among the demonstrators Awa Gueye, sister of Babacar, who died following police shootings in 2015, and relatives of Maëva, killed by a police car on a pedestrian crossing (road accident) in 2020.

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  • Racism

  • Global security law

  • Paris

  • Demonstration

  • Police violence

  • Society