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Council of Europe slams ‘excessive’ police force in France protests

Council of Europe slams 'excessive' police force in France protests
Source: Video Screenshot

The Council of Europe — the continent’s leading human rights watchdog — Friday criticised what it described as the French police’s “excessive use of force” during demonstrations against an unpopular pension reform.

“Violent incidents have occurred, including some that have targeted the forces of law and order,” its commissioner for human rights Dunja Mijatovic said.

“But the sporadic acts of violence of some protesters or other reprehensible acts committed by other persons during a protest cannot justify excessive use of force by agents of the state. These acts are also not enough to deprive peaceful protesters of their right to freedom of assembly,” she said.

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AFP

Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency.







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