Thousands of people marched in Paris and other French cities on September 20, 2026, to protest a draft law that would grant police officers and gendarmes a presumption of self-defense when using their firearms. The proposed law, approved by the National Assembly in July, has sparked concerns among politicians, rights groups, and activists. They argue that it would lead to police impunity and worsen police violence in France.
The draft law, which is now facing a vote in the Senate, assumes that any law-enforcement official who uses force has acted legally when using their weapon. Critics argue that this would reverse the burden of proof in incidents involving police use of force. Mathilde Panot, a leader of the hard-left France Unbowed party, told the crowd in Paris that "the police kill already" and called for the bill to be voted down in the Senate.
Amal Bentousi, the sister of Amine, a robber who was shot in the back by police in 2012, was among the marchers. She described the proposed law as a "licence to execute" intended to "reverse the burden of proof" in such incidents. Amnesty International, France's magistrates' union, and the country's League of Human Rights also took part in the protest.
Scores of other marches against the bill were organized in cities around France over the weekend. Police said 4,500 people had rallied in Lyon and 3,700 in Toulouse. A petition against the bill on the National Assembly website gathered over 730,000 signatures, but a parliamentary law committee dismissed it in July.
Defenders of the bill argue that it would avoid law enforcement officers automatically coming under suspicion or being detained when using armed force. However, critics argue that it would lead to police impunity and worsen police violence in France. Cédric Picard, of Amnesty International, said that "we are afraid police violence would only grow with this law".
The protests were largely peaceful, but there were some incidents. In the city of Rennes, officials said eight people were arrested and three police officers injured after projectiles were thrown at them. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez called on police to be "particularly vigilant" during the protests, fearing incidents.
The draft law has sparked concerns among human rights groups and activists, who argue that it would worsen police violence in France. A high school student who protested in Marseille said that "in a country where police abuse is among the worst, this law risks worsening the situation". The protests highlight the concerns about police violence and impunity in France.
Key points
- The draft law would grant police officers and gendarmes a presumption of self-defense when using their firearms.
- Critics argue that the law would lead to police impunity and worsen police violence in France.
- Thousands of people marched in Paris and other French cities to protest the draft law.
