French police crackdown on peaceful protesters triggers sharp reactions
PARIS (AA) – The police crackdown on peaceful protests in the French capital, Paris, has sparked an outcry.
The demonstration in memory of Adama Traore and solidarity with Nael Merzouk was broken up by the police.
Traoré, a black Frenchman, died in custody after being handcuffed and detained by police in 2016. Merzouk, 17, of Algerian descent, was shot and killed by police in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris, on June 27.
The incident sparked riots in France.
To control the unrest, police also cracked down on peaceful protests.
Mathilde Pinot, a French lawmaker, said Traore’s brother Youssouf was also mistreated by police.
He was forcibly subdued at Saturday’s rally and his face was forcibly pushed to the ground.
Images on social media showed the moment Traore was taken on a stretcher from the police station to a hospital.
Sophie Binet, the general secretary of the General Confederation of Trade Unions (CGT), expressed shock at the footage showing police detaining protesters.
Two people were arrested during the peaceful protests when police used physical force to disperse the crowd.
Police also cracked down on media representatives who tried to take pictures of the scene.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
