In response to the government’s approval of controversial pension reform without a vote in parliament at French President Emmanuel Macron’s request, protesters once again took to the streets in Paris yesterday. During the protests, which resulted in the detention of 78 demonstrators, French police used excessive force to suppress the protesters. The footage of the French police’s intervention drew a great reaction on social media.
According to France’s National Police Investigation Unit, 17 criminal investigations have been launched against police officers since January, when the demonstrations began. French police are also accused by human rights groups and lawyers of using arbitrary detention to suppress protests.