SAEDNEWS: Amnesty International has called on France to stop its “disproportionate police response” to student protests, warning that the reported use of tear gas, rubber bullets, and physical restraint is putting young protesters at risk.
According to Saednews, As children and young people prepare to take to the streets across France, authorities must ensure their safety and security while protecting and facilitating their right to demonstrate peacefully, Amnesty International France chief Anne Savinel-Barras said in a statement on Monday.
Amnesty International called on French authorities to uphold their human rights obligations and immediately stop what it described as a disproportionate police response to the demonstrations.
Savinel-Barras stressed that any police action must be lawful, necessary and proportionate, warning that authorities should avoid unnecessary or excessive force.
According to Amnesty, footage and testimonies collected over the past week have raised serious concerns about the use of tear gas, batons and restraint methods by police. The organization accused officers of using tear gas grenades recklessly and firing rubber bullets that reportedly caused serious injuries.
Savinel-Barras said authorities should focus on reducing tensions and take every possible precaution to prevent situations from escalating to the point where force becomes necessary.
The criticism comes as student protests continue across France. Education Minister Edouard Geffray said on Monday that 589 educational institutions had been affected during the day.
Geffray also reported that 190 students had been injured since demonstrations over education conditions began in the Paris region in mid-September.
The extent of the police response has also attracted attention. According to a judicial source cited by BFMTV, 5,060 people had been taken into custody since the movement began, with minors reportedly accounting for 87% of those detained.
Separately, the French Human Rights League accused law enforcement authorities of a wider departure from established legal principles and said legal standards had not been properly respected during police operations involving protesting students.
France’s General Inspectorate of the National Police has opened five investigations into incidents linked to the demonstrations.
The growing criticism is putting additional pressure on the French government as Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu seeks to address the crisis through five proposals, with decisions expected before the end of October.
Students are calling for greater funding, better-maintained school facilities, smaller class sizes and measures to tackle staff shortages.
The continuing protests and allegations concerning police conduct have increased scrutiny of France’s approach to demonstrations involving young people. Rights organizations have warned that the use of force could increase tensions rather than resolve the concerns that prompted students to protest.
