France citizens protest proposed security law barring dissemination of police images News
Hans / Pixabay
France citizens protest proposed security law barring dissemination of police images

Thousands of citizens gathered across France Saturday to protest proposed legislation that would criminalize sharing recorded images of police officers. The collective, called “Stop Loi Sécurité Globale” or Stop Global Security Law, is composed of journalists’ unions, human rights nongovernment organizations, and other groups.

The amended legislation would make it illegal to disseminate, by any means on any medium, an image of an on-duty police officer with the intent to do them harm. Such conduct would be punishable by a 1-year prison sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros.

Many protestors were also demonstrating against police violence, after Black music producer, Michel Zecler, was brutally beaten by police last weekend. Videos of the Zecler incident have been circulating online since last weekend.

President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has been outspoken about the dissemination of these images online and has demanded that his government “quickly make proposals” to “fight more effectively against all forms of discrimination.”