France is no stranger to violence in its streets. Much of that has been from Muslims and disadvantaged youth venting their frustration at the government's inability, or lack of will, to tackle myriads of issues confronting Muslims and the young. By referring to protesters as, in effect, being rabble, the French President has helped things!
Human Rights Watch has highlighted another problem in France in a just-released Report "The Root of Humiliation".
"Most people in France have been stopped and asked by police for proof of their identity—or “contrôle d’identité”—at some point in their lives.
Anyone can theoretically be asked for proof of identity, and a straightforward stop should
usually last only a few minutes and involve little more than providing
one’s identity card or other proof of identity upon demand by a police
officer.
However, research conducted in and around Paris, Lyon, and Lille in 2011 indicates that the identity check system is open to abuse by the French police, who use the system as a
central tool in their operations and have broad powers to stop and check
individuals regardless of whether they suspect criminal activity. These abuses
include repeated checks—“countless” in the words of most
interviewees—sometimes involving physical and verbal abuse. Stops can
involve lengthy questioning, orders to empty pockets, bag searches, and
intrusive pat-downs—including of children as young as 14-years-old, who
described having to put their hands against a wall or car to be patted down.
Moreover,statistical and anecdotal evidence indicates that young blacks and Arabs living
in economically disadvantaged areas are particularly frequent targets for such
stops, suggesting that police engage in ethnic profiling(i.e. making
assumptions who is more likely to be a delinquent based on appearance,
including race and ethnicity, rather than behavior) to determine who to stop.
Many of the youths interviewed by Human Rights Watch for this report said they
viewed identity checks to be the sharp edge of their broader experience of
discrimination and exclusion in French society.
Such practices are justified by French authorities as security measures and have been
court-sanctioned, and there may be some cases, as police officials argue, where
there is good reason for police to intervene—such as unruly behavior that
prompts calls from neighbors or illegal activity such as smoking marijuana.
Moreover, police profiling can be a legitimate preventive and
investigative tool, including when suspect descriptions including ethnicity or
national origin are based on specific, reliable information. Human Rights Watch
recognizes that police officers often face dangerous and
threatening situations and must restrain violent individuals to protect
themselves and others".
Anyone can theoretically be asked for proof of identity, and a straightforward stop should
usually last only a few minutes and involve little more than providing
one’s identity card or other proof of identity upon demand by a police
officer.
However, research conducted in and around Paris, Lyon, and Lille in 2011 indicates that the identity check system is open to abuse by the French police, who use the system as a
central tool in their operations and have broad powers to stop and check
individuals regardless of whether they suspect criminal activity. These abuses
include repeated checks—“countless” in the words of most
interviewees—sometimes involving physical and verbal abuse. Stops can
involve lengthy questioning, orders to empty pockets, bag searches, and
intrusive pat-downs—including of children as young as 14-years-old, who
described having to put their hands against a wall or car to be patted down.
Moreover,statistical and anecdotal evidence indicates that young blacks and Arabs living
in economically disadvantaged areas are particularly frequent targets for such
stops, suggesting that police engage in ethnic profiling(i.e. making
assumptions who is more likely to be a delinquent based on appearance,
including race and ethnicity, rather than behavior) to determine who to stop.
Many of the youths interviewed by Human Rights Watch for this report said they
viewed identity checks to be the sharp edge of their broader experience of
discrimination and exclusion in French society.
Such practices are justified by French authorities as security measures and have been
court-sanctioned, and there may be some cases, as police officials argue, where
there is good reason for police to intervene—such as unruly behavior that
prompts calls from neighbors or illegal activity such as smoking marijuana.
Moreover, police profiling can be a legitimate preventive and
investigative tool, including when suspect descriptions including ethnicity or
national origin are based on specific, reliable information. Human Rights Watch
recognizes that police officers often face dangerous and
threatening situations and must restrain violent individuals to protect
themselves and others".
Comments