Protests against controversial police law turn violent in France

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Violence broke out between police and demonstrators in Paris and other French cities during protests on Saturday against a controversial draft law that restricts publishing police images.

Earlier in the day, groups of masked young men had been mixed with demonstrators in Parisian streets. Carrying projectiles, they clashed with anti-riot police who responded with tear gas. Footage also showed barricades, building materials and several cars and motorcycles on fire.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin denounced "the unacceptable violence against the police," adding 37 police officers and gendarmes were wounded in the protests across the country. In Paris, authorities said nine people were arrested.

According to the Interior Ministry, some 46,000 protesters took part in the French capital's demonstration to make the government reconsider the law's Article 24, which would criminalize the publication of images of on-duty police officers with the intent of harming their "physical or psychological integrity."

Under the article, offenders could be sentenced to up to a year in jail, and fined 45,000 euros (53,846 U.S. dollars) for publishing images of police officers.

Far-left politicians, journalists, activists headed the rally in the French capital to say "No to the police state" as read in some banners. Critics say the law would restrain freedom of expression and impede reporting on police brutality. Meanwhile, the government justified the provision as a way to protect policemen from threats and violence.

The bill, approved by the National Assembly on Nov. 24, now awaits Senate approval. French Prime Minister Jean Castex said earlier this week that he was going to set up "an independent commission" to redraft Article 24.

The new round of protests came a few days after the publication on social media of footage showing three officers beating a black music producer Michel Zecler.

Zecler told reporters Thursday that he was walking around without a face mask, which was against the country's COVID-19 sanitary measures. He hid in his studio to avoid fines when a police car appeared. The police allegedly followed him inside and attacked him.

The police officers identified in the video have been held for investigation, the Paris Prosecutor's office said. 

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