PARIS: Despite bans imposed by authorities, over 1,000 people gathered in central Paris on Saturday for a memorial rally, and several marches were planned throughout France to denounce police brutality and racial profiling. The protests come seven years after the death of Adama Traore, and amid heightened tensions following the riots sparked by the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel M. near Paris on June 27.
Originally, Adama Traore’s sister had planned a commemorative march in Persan and Beaumont-sur-Oise, but a court deemed the risk of public disturbance too high, given the prevailing tensions. In response, Assa Traore, Adama’s older sister, attended a rally in central Paris’s Place de la Republique, emphasizing that their deceased loved ones have the right to be acknowledged.
“We are marching for the youth to denounce police violence. They want to hide our deaths,” Assa Traore said at the rally, while denouncing the government’s decision to ban the commemorative marches. She criticized the authorities for allowing marches by neo-Nazis while restricting their right to protest, stating that France cannot give moral lessons when its police force is accused of racism and violence.
Despite the ban, more than 1,000 people participated in the Paris rally, including several lawmakers. The event was also marked by criticism of the government’s actions, with lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau expressing concern over the erosion of public liberties. Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of the France Unbowed party, took to Twitter to criticize the government, comparing its actions to a regime seen during World War II.
Rallies Against Police Violence Scheduled Across France
Numerous demonstrations against police violence were scheduled across France over the weekend, with rallies already taking place in Saint-Nazaire and Strasbourg. Trade unions, political parties, and associations have called on supporters to join the marches, as the country grapples with allegations of institutionalized racism within its police ranks.
The death of Adama Traore in 2016 and the recent shooting of Nahel M. have reignited discussions on systemic racism among security forces. A UN committee has urged France to ban racial profiling and pass legislation defining and prohibiting it. However, the French foreign ministry disputed these remarks, calling them “excessive” and “unfounded.”
The “citizens marches” held on Saturday provided an opportunity for people to express their grief and anger at discriminatory police policies, particularly in working-class neighborhoods. Since Nahel’s death, over 3,700 individuals, including at least 1,160 minors, have been taken into police custody in connection with the protests, according to official figures.
