Thousands of police officers were expected to gather outside the French parliament on Wednesday in protest at attacks on colleagues and growing fears for their own safety.
The officers, who have been criticised for their own aggressive actions during demonstrations, are demanding tougher sentences for people convicted of targeting police, following the killing of several officers in recent months.
Two weeks ago a 36-year-old officer was shot dead in the southern city of Avignon during an anti-drug operation. Last month a police worker was stabbed to death outside a police station south-west of Paris.
An announcement by the interior minister, Gérard Darmanin, that he would attend the protest sparked controversy and will add to claims that Emmanuel Macron’s government is attempting to woo far-right voters before next year’s presidential election. Polls suggest the election will go to a second-round runoff between Macron and Marine Le Pen.
Darmanin, whose role overseeing the country’s police and security forces means he is often described as “France’s top cop”, said he will attend the protest to “show his support to the police”.
“The police are marked by grief, emotion and anger. Every day, they are victims of an increasingly violent society,” he told France Inter radio. “I will be there to show my support, with other politicians … I will tell them that we love them.”
Credit: theguardian.com
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