"Thousands of protesters including far-right politicians rallied across France on Saturday in support of the country's cash-strapped police force, with some of the demonstrators launching smoke bombs and blowing whistles. Heeding a call of the Alliance police union, demonstrators staged rallies in around 20 cities, including Paris, where between 15,000 and 20,000 people turned up, according to the organisers. Several far-right politicians were in attendance including Marion Maréchal, the niece of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen."
"Ahead of the rallies, Fabien Vanhemelryck, head of the National Police Alliance, said he wanted to raise "awareness of a situation that is becoming very serious". "The national police can no longer do their job under normal conditions," he told AFP on Friday. Gaelle James of another police union, Synergie Officiers, said officers had to fight "increasingly violent crime" and pointed to "a clear lack of resources, a lack of personnel and a lack of material resources"."
Thousands of people, including far-right politicians and police union members, rallied across around 20 French cities to support the cash-strapped police force. Organisers reported 15,000–20,000 participants in Paris, with demonstrators launching smoke bombs and blowing whistles. Protesters carried banners such as "Citizens with the police, stop insecurity, stop impunity" and placards reading "All cops are heroes" and "impunity breeds criminals". Union leaders warned of severe strain, saying the national police cannot perform duties under normal conditions and citing lack of personnel, material and resources. Some processions were led by right and far-right politicians. Police controversies include repeated scandals over deaths in custody and traffic stops.
Read at The Local France
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