Several rallies in France against the proposed “global security” law

“Not even a drone”, “Blurring of mouth”. Several rallies took place, Saturday, November 21, in France against the proposed law called “global security”, one of the articles of which concentrates very strong criticism from French journalists, who see it as a risk of obstruction of the freedom to inform.

Article 24, adopted by the National Assembly on Friday evening, provides for punishing “One year’s imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros” broadcasting unblurred images of a police or military “With the obvious aim that his physical or mental integrity may be harmed”, and at the same time creates a new offense in the 1881 law on freedom of the press.

In Paris, a rally started at 2:30 p.m. on the Place du Trocadéro at the call of journalists ‘unions, editors’ companies, including that of the World, and the associations Human Rights League and Amnesty France.

“Slippage”

Throughout France, the National Union of Journalists (SNJ) has identified around twenty gatherings. In Lille, about a thousand people gathered on Saturday morning on the Place de la République in front of the North Prefecture, according to our journalist on the spot. “It’s great blurring of mouth”, “Global security = minimum freedoms”, “Videos, not tear gas”, “The dictatorship on the march” or “Our images are the real IGPN”, could we read on the signs that mostly targeted the security drift of society.

“There is a shift in society in the way the government treats human rights through police supervision”, explained Michel Philibert, member of the office of the League of Human Rights, organization at the origin of the rally which took place in peace and in the presence of a large police force. “A democratic society does not go through a monitored and padlocked society, added the national education retiree. There is a police treatment of social discontent that many people regret. “

Franck Bazin, a local journalist and elected SNJ to the press card commission, denounced this “Legislative arsenal, media and emotional blow, while the existing laws make it possible to assert the rights, including for the police officers”. But far beyond the journalists, it was the citizens who came to express their anger. “We have the impression that all our freedoms are receding on all levels, sighed Julie and Inès, teachers in high school. We know that we are in a particular context and that we must make an effort, but not at any cost. This law limits freedom of expression and encourages the masking of police violence ”.

In Rennes, more than a thousand demonstrators gathered at Place de la République, according to the organizers. Many young people were present with signs “Lower your guns, we will lower our phones”, “The camera has never killed anyone”, “Global totalitarian law” or “1984 was not meant to be a manual”.

In Montpellier, around 1,300 demonstrators according to the prefecture marched in the late morning, also with many slogans such as “Police without control, population under control”.

“An obstacle to the right to inform”

In Paris, a first demonstration, Tuesday evening near the National Assembly, gathered several thousand people before giving rise to clashes with the police. Two journalists were arrested and taken into custody while they were practicing their profession there.

To justify the attitude of the police, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, subsequently declared that, “If journalists covered demonstrations”, they should ” I know bring closer to the authorities ” in order to “To report, to be protected by the police”. On Friday, many editorial managers signed a platform to say that they would refuse to“Accredit” journalists to cover these types of events.

During the debates in the Assembly, Mr. Darmanin assured Friday evening that this article 24 “Does not in any way violate the freedom of the press and the freedom to inform”. “A journalist or a citizen who films a police operation can of course continue to do so. On the other hand, those who accompany their images with a call for violence, by disseminating the names and addresses of our police officers, will no longer be able to do so ”, he said.

The argument did not allay fears. “Maintaining this article 24 is a massive deterrent to exercise these fundamental freedoms for each citizen because it allows for arrests and prior police custody without basis”, denounced the deputy Ugo Bernalicis, specialist in security issues at La France insoumise.

About forty French editors, including that of World, similarly reproach the Minister of the Interior for wanting to undermine press freedom through this bill but also through the new national law enforcement plan presented in September.

The organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) considers that “If the risk of condemnation of journalists on the basis of this text [de loi] is weak, the police could proceed, on the ground, to the arrest of a journalist filming their operations, which represents an obstacle to the right to inform ”.