Tens of thousands protest French police immunity bill across France

Tens of thousands marched across France on Sunday against a bill that would presume police and gendarmes acted legally when using their weapons. The legislation, approved by the National Assembly in July, now awaits a Senate vote. Protesters argue it would shield officers from accountability and reverse the burden of proof in shooting investigations.

In Paris, 21,000 people demonstrated according to police, with left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon among the marchers. Police briefly fired tear gas late in the afternoon, and an AFP journalist observed one person with a head injury. Organisers included Amnesty International, the League of Human Rights, and the magistrates' union.

“In the Republic there can be no organised police impunity.”

Police reported 4,500 participants in Lyon and 3,700 in Toulouse. A petition against the bill on the National Assembly website has gathered 730,000 signatures, though a parliamentary committee dismissed it in July. Supporters say the measure would prevent officers from being automatically placed under suspicion or detained after using force.

Amnesty International's Cédric Picard warned at the Marseille rally that police violence would likely increase under the law. High school student Hugo said France already has among the worst police abuse records and the bill risks worsening the situation. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had urged police to be "particularly vigilant" during the protests.