Thousands Rally In France In Support Of Cash-Strapped Police

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Thousands of protesters including far-right politicians rallied across France Saturday in support of the country's cash-strapped police force, with some of the demonstrators launching smoke bombs and blowing whistles.

Heeding a call of the Alliance union, demonstrators staged rallies in around 20 cities, including Paris, where between 15,000 and 20,000 people turned up, according to the organisers.

Several far-right politicians were in attendance including Marion Marechal, the niece of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen.

Gathered behind a banner reading "Citizens with the police, stop insecurity, stop impunity", the protesters marched through central Paris.

"All cops are heroes" and "impunity breeds criminals" were among the slogans written on the demonstrators' placards.

Ahead of the rallies, Fabien Vanhemelryck, head of the National Police Alliance, said he wanted to raise "awareness of a situation that is becoming very serious".

"The national police can no longer do their job under normal conditions," he told AFP on Friday.

Gaelle James of another police union, Synergie Officiers, said officers had to fight "increasingly violent crime" and pointed to "a clear lack of resources, a lack of personnel and a lack of material resources".

One of the protesters, who travelled to Paris from the eastern suburb of Fontenay-sous-Bois, said the situation was difficult.

"There is a lot of insecurity, and the courts especially aren't doing their job," said the 57-year-old IT worker, Jean Demetz.

In the southern city of Nice, several hundred police officers marched in a procession led by several right and far-right politicians.

protesters far right politicians demonstrators

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