Yellow Vest protesters walk down the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, France, last Saturday. Protest organisers were trying to end violence and anti-Semitism in the movement’s ranks as they launched a 15th weekend of demonstrations. Kamil Zihnioglu AP Yellow Vest protesters walk down the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, France, last Saturday. Protest organisers were trying to end violence and anti-Semitism in the movement’s ranks as they launched a 15th weekend of demonstrations. Kamil Zihnioglu AP
A TOP European human rights official yesterday called on France to suspend the use of rubber bullets at protests, such as those held by the Yellow Vests movement.
Council of Europe human rights commissioner Dunja Mijatovic also criticised the arrest of people heading to demonstrations when no offence was identified, and called for restraint in the use of immediate summary proceedings against alleged rioters.
Protesters wearing yellow safety tops have blocked suburban roundabouts and held weekend marches across France since mid-November.
They initially opposed planned fuel tax rises but have since raised broader demands about standards of living and direct democracy, as well as calling for President Emmanuel Macron to resign.
Marches every Saturday in Paris and some other cities have repeatedly degenerated into clashes with police.
Mijatovic strongly condemned “racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic comments and assaults by some demonstrators”, and acknowledged that public order operations were “particularly complex”.
But, she said, the number and severity of the injuries suffered by demonstrators raised questions about the methods used by French authorities.
According to a tally by newspaper Liberation, 143 demonstrators and journalists were seriously injured at Yellow Vests protests up to January 30, including 14 who were blinded in one eye. Rubber bullets were blamed for the majority of the serious injuries.
Mijatovic also criticised key provisions of a draft law intended to give authorities more powers to prevent violence at protests.
A provision empowering government officials to ban named individuals from attending protests would be a serious interference with the right of freedom to assembly, she said. dpa African News Agency (ANA)