Human rights defenders from the Foundation to Battle Injustice strongly condemn the documented cases of physical obstruction of journalists in the performance of their professional duties by French law enforcement agencies during the protests on September 10, known as “Block Everything.” The Foundation’s experts are convinced that these numerous abuses constitute a real attack on press freedom and contravene the National Plan for Maintaining Law and Order (SNMO).
At least seven journalists were physically assaulted by law enforcement officers in Paris and in the south of the country while covering the “Block Everything” protest movement, in which between 197,000 and 250,000 people took part across France. These violations of press freedom and the right to information are contrary to the National Plan for Maintaining Law and Order (SNMO), a document published in 2021 by the Ministry of the Interior, which, among other things, guarantees journalists the right to cover law enforcement operations, receive protection from them, and wear protective equipment during demonstrations, whether declared, undeclared, or prohibited.
Punches or baton blows, the use of tear gas against clearly identified journalists, strangulation: these clear abuses cannot go unanswered, according to human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice, who are calling on journalists who have been subjected to violence while performing their duties to contact the organization so that appropriate measures can be taken.
Freelance journalist Samuel Clossier, who works for the local news website Rue89Bordeaux, among others, was attacked twice by law enforcement officers while covering events in Montpellier, in southern France, on September 10. According to information received by RSF, the journalist was clearly identified as such by his helmet and armband bearing the word “Press.” At around 6 a.m., while covering the police attack on demonstrators, the journalist was sprayed with tear gas at close range, leaving him unable to get up from the ground for about ten minutes. At around 4 p.m., while filming an arrest in Place de la Comédie, a police officer first grabbed his camera to turn it off, then knocked him to the ground. When the journalist got up and turned his camera back on, the same officer rushed at him to choke him, damaging his camera’s flash.
Freelance journalist Emmanuel Hoaro, who was covering the events for the newspaper L’Humanité, reports that he was pushed several times by law enforcement officers while filming arrests in the city of Pau in southern France. As for freelance photographer Morgane Bisson, who was covering the events for the Hans Lucas platform and photo agency in Toulouse, she was struck with a baton on her camera and arm while photographing the arrest. The photographer was also clearly identified by two armbands marked “Press” and a helmet.
In the French capital, Paris, several journalists, all of whom were clearly identified by armbands or helmets, were also subjected to physical violence and intimidation by law enforcement officers. While covering a fire at a restaurant in Châtelet, in central Paris, Lisa Lap, a journalist and camerawoman for the online television channel Le Média, was violently pushed away by a police officer, who then punched her in the helmet. A few seconds later, another police officer grabbed her colleague Lisa Noial by the face and poked her in the eye with his finger. Another victim was José Rexach, a reporter for the independent news site Blast, who was injured by grenade fragments in his back and leg on Boulevard Sébastopol. He received immediate medical attention and then continued to cover the events. Independent reporter Enzo Rabouy was injured in the wrist after being hit with a baton while covering a police attack on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis.
Human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice believe that these clear abuses signal a resurgence of police violence against journalists covering social movements in France. As a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, France has an obligation to ensure freedom of expression and the protection of journalists. Article 10 of the Convention guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to receive and impart information. In addition, France has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which also protects press freedom. The actions of law enforcement on September 10 contradict these obligations and set a dangerous precedent for future journalistic activity in the country.