The Council of State bans the surveillance of demonstrations by drones in Paris
The French police used drones in particular during the Parisian demonstrations.
An authoritarian drift for some associations.
© AFP / GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT
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4 min
No drones to monitor the Parisian demonstrations.
It's forbidden !
The Council of State ruled on Tuesday, December 22, 2020. A decision in the form of a snub for the government accused by some of authoritarian abuses.
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The Paris police chief, Didier Lallement, “
must stop, without delay,
” using drones to monitor demonstrations.
This is what we can read in the decision of the Council of State which adopts a firm tone.
Already, in May 2020, the highest French administrative court had banned the use of drones
to monitor the capital
during confinement.
The Council of State is therefore driving the point home.
La Quadrature du Net, which had seized him, welcomed a "
total victory
".
Because beyond the Parisian demonstrations, it is more generally the use of drones by the police in the public space as provided for by the law on "global security" that should be called into question, believes the 'association.
It is a total victory both against the Paris police headquarters and against the government and its bill that aimed to legalize drones.
But today, this bill is really challenged by the Council of State, which requires guarantees and proof that the government will not be able to provide to authorize drones.
A. Messaud (Quadrature du Net): "a total victory" against the use of drones
Julien Chavanne
Maybe a temporary victory
But beware, the administrative court judges that it is the absence of a text authorizing and fixing the terms of use of drones within the framework of police surveillance that poses a problem.
It will therefore be necessary to see what its position will be once the law is passed.
For now, it has only been adopted at first reading in the National Assembly, which leaves the possibility for the government to rectify the situation and to comply with the requirements of the Council of State.
The latter demands in particular proof that recourse to such a device is essential for maintaining order.
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