Thousands of French people protest expanded police protection
Protesters fear that a new legal presumption will make officers’ use of firearms less open to scrutiny.
Thousands of people demonstrated in Paris and other French cities on Sunday against a bill on the use of force by the police and gendarmerie. The proposal has already been passed by the Assemblée nationale and still has to go before the Senate.
The demonstrators oppose a proposal that provisionally gives officers the benefit of the doubt when they use their weapons. Critics call this a dangerous shift in the responsibility for showing that the use of force was necessary and lawful.
The Assemblée nationale passed the proposal on 7 July. According to the official text, it is a bill introducing a presumption of lawful conduct for police officers and gendarmes who use force in the course of their work. An independent record of the vote reports 313 votes in favour, 199 against and five abstentions.
According to the available parliamentary explanation, the presumption is not absolute: rebuttal remains possible. The core of the debate, however, is that the use of a firearm would no longer be assessed entirely on the basis of the existing conditions of necessity and proportionality. The precise consequences depend on the final text and its further consideration in the Senate.
In Paris, politicians, Amnesty International, the magistrates’ trade union and the Ligue des droits de l’Homme were among those joining the demonstration. There were also gatherings in other French cities. A petition against the proposal received around 730,000 signatures, according to AFP; the parliamentary committee that considered the petition rejected it in July.
The protests coincide with a broader discussion about the position of the French police. Police trade unions themselves demonstrated earlier this month against staff shortages, workload, equipment problems and inadequate compensation. That movement focused on working conditions, but also underlines that the government is simultaneously seeking officers’ support and wants to expand the legal scope for their actions.
Supporters of the proposal say that officers in dangerous situations should not have to fear in advance that they will be criminally prosecuted for decisions they make in the course of their work. Opponents fear that a statutory presumption in favour of the police’s account weakens judicial oversight and further damages public trust.
The Senate still has to consider the proposal. The sources consulted do not show when exactly that vote will take place. It is clear, however, that the street protests have once again made the proposal the subject of a national debate on security, police powers and legal protection.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The Assemblée nationale has passed the bill.
- The proposal gives the police and gendarmerie a statutory presumption of lawfulness when firearms are used.
- According to the available explanation, rebuttal remains possible.
- The Senate still has to consider the proposal.
Left
Arguments The state must be able to give a strict account of the use of lethal force. From this perspective, a statutory advantage for officers could lead to less independent oversight and more scope for impunity.
Values Equal legal protection, civil rights, transparency and the protection of minorities.
Consequences Supporters fear greater mistrust of the police and a higher threshold for bereaved families seeking to prove abuses.
Centre
Arguments Officers must have legal protection in dangerous situations, but that protection must go hand in hand with clear boundaries, independent investigations and review by judges.
Values Legal certainty, proportionality, practicability and trust in institutions.
Consequences A compromise could give officers more clarity without abandoning existing oversight of necessary and proportionate force.
Right
Arguments The police and gendarmerie must be able to do their work without being automatically treated as suspects whenever they make a decision in a fraction of a second. According to this view, a rebuttable presumption can strengthen operational latitude and authority.
Values Public order, protection of emergency workers, authority and safety.
Consequences Supporters expect officers to hesitate less in acute threat situations; they regard subsequent judicial review as a sufficient safeguard.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The main facts have been confirmed by AFP and French parliamentary sources. The interpretations of supporters and opponents are clearly presented as viewpoints.
- confirmed Thousands of people demonstrated in Paris on 20 September against the bill. — AFP reports thousands of demonstrators in Paris and gatherings in other French cities. source
- confirmed The Assemblée nationale passed the bill on 7 July 2026. — The official parliamentary text records its passage on 7 July 2026. source
- confirmed According to a voting record, the vote ended with 313 in favour, 199 against and five abstentions. — These figures appear in Monparlement’s public voting record. source
- confirmed The proposal still has to go before the Senate. — AFP writes that the proposal still has to go to the Senate for a vote. source
- confirmed Police trade unions demonstrated earlier in September against, among other things, staff shortages and workload. — Euronews describes the mobilisation of police personnel and the demands mentioned. source
Editor's note
The demonstrations, the parliamentary proceedings and the voting figures are well documented. The precise legal implications and the date of consideration in the Senate are not yet clear.Sources
- Thousands march in France against 'licence to kill' draft law — AFP
- Proposition de loi, T.A. n° 328 — Assemblée nationale
- Présomption de légitime défense — Monparlement.fr
- Policiers en colère : salaires, effectifs, moyens… — Euronews
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „frankrijk politie”
- NOS — „frankrijk politie”
- Het Parool — „frankrijk politie”