Racism and police brutality in France: why the “global security” law project is dangerous

By Anouk Brodier

Just like the French revolution of 1948 triggered the Spring of Nations in Europe, the rise of the “Black Lives Matter” movement in America generated a worldwide popular movement against police brutality and racism.  In France, it began with the movement “Justice pour Adama” – a young French black man wrongfully killed by the police in 2016 – and evolved today as the government is trying to pass the “global security” law. Despite the governmental messages against racism and violence, the practice of police work says otherwise. The recent events against Michel Zecler have shed light the reality of police brutality.

France is today in the middle of a heated debate over the right to film police officers: the “global security” law. Yet, it is only thanks to these videos that police brutality can be denounced by citizens. Indeed, the new numeric technologies and especially the exponential generalization of smartphones have given a “counter weapon” to the citizens. According to the French General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) – more commonly known as the police of police – the year 2019 has seen an increase of opened investigations against police officers for wrongful use of force by 23%. This rise can only be explained by the fact that the victims have been able to prove the police’s abuse of authority. Indeed, even though it is possible to file a complaint against police brutality, these are never getting anywhere unless the victims have enough proof to build a solid case. Most of the time, the victim will go through the pile of paperwork, repeat their story a hundred times, just for their complaint to be lost in never-processed paperwork.

Another issue that needs to be raised in this context is the one of racism. According to a survey conducted by the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in 2018 among 6000 European citizens with African origins, 24% of them testify of having been arrested in the in the five years preceding the study and 41% of them saw it as a facial offense. On top of that, 11% of them declared having been the victim of racist violence from a police officer[1]. These dreadful numbers shed light on a reality that has been overshadowed for too long: racism and brutality in the police force.

These two factors show very well that police brutality based on racism is a reality in France, but also in other Western countries. Instead of tackling this issue by reforming the police, or taking measures to protect people from these abuses, the French government has decided to make the citizens’ only defence illegal. In the midst of a nation-wide social movement against the “global security” law, the story of Michel Zecler resounds the dangerous nature of this law, which would only serve to flout human rights. On the evening of Saturday, November 21^st, 2020, Mr Zecler was attacked and beaten up by four police officers inside his music studio. In his testimony, he recalls being insulted based on his origins and skin colour. He was arrested for 48 hours, and if it were not for the surveillance camera of his studio, he would be in prison right now. The arresting officers had claimed that he had tried to steal their weapons. But the video says otherwise. This event is, unfortunately, not unique and constitutes a perfect example as to why the “global security” law could be dangerous both in terms of freedom and protection of human rights in France.

[1] Bianca Ferrari, « Sept histoires de violence policière en Europe » , Vice  (2020).