Christian Jacob does not taste all the reasons for the various rallies against racism and police violence that have taken place in different cities of France in recent days. “We have seen violence by demonstrators, but never police violence in France. […] Police violence in France does not exist, it is a lie ”, estimated the president of the Republicans on Europe 1 this Sunday.
However, acts of violence committed by the police over several years now seem to have been proven, especially during social protests in 2019. On January 9, 2020, a demonstrator also, for example, found herself plunged on the ground after receiving a police trekker in Toulouse.
Just as the vast majority of demonstrators do not comment on abuses, this only concerns a minority of agents. Last November, after a year of yellow vests demonstrations, 372 investigations had been opened and entrusted mainly to the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN).
Change of speech
The speech of the executive and the government has also evolved on this subject in early 2020. While "challenging" the term police violence, the head of state asked on January 14 "proposals clear to improve the ethics of the police.
"There have been very clear images, there are cases today in which behaviors which are not acceptable have been seen or pointed out", he estimated a few days after the death by asphyxiation of Cédric Chouviat following a tense roadside check in Paris.
PODCAST. Police violence: how, faced with images, Emmanuel Macron finally changed his discourse
Christian Jacob for his part calls the Head of State to speak to show his support for the police. "I am proud of our police," said the MP and former mayor of Provins, saying "shocked by the slogans we heard."
Racist Thoughts
Beyond the physical violence, some police officers are also accused of having made racist remarks, as revealed this week by Mediapart, Arte radio, and Streetpress.
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On this subject, Christian Jacob believes that there is "no racist police in France". Again, this "does not exist". “There is racism in France as in all countries. Racism must be combated and punished, ”he also said, referring to the possibility of isolated cases.
VIDEO. "You are also dads": the poignant cry of a protester against police violence
