Xenophobia, Radicalism and Hate Crime in France, 2020-2022
Dr. Jean-Yves Camus
The policy of the Government with regard to civil liberties is challenged by those NGOs from the Left who think the ban on associations, whatever their ideology is, infringes on the right of citizens to protest and even challenge the fundamental values of the Constitution, as long as they do not engage in terrorist activities or try to overthrow the State. The recent (May 2023) announcement by Minister Darmanin that he wants to ban all public demonstrations by Far-Right groups, and his attempted crackdown on Far-Left associations whose members clashed with the Police are a real legal challenge for the State and it seems very unlikely that such a general ban can be enforced, both from a legal point of view and from a strictly down-to-earth approach. The level of violence between protesters and the police has also reached a turning point, and all eyes are on the forthcoming Paris Olympic Games of 2024, the security of which must be ensured, given that protesters from the Radical Left, Radical Environmentalist groups and Islamic terrorists are very likely to at least try to disrupt the event or stage attacks on it. Overall, the level of conflict between protesters and the police is very worrying, and the attitude of some individuals within the police force needs to be investigated for excessive use of force, if one wants to rebuild trust between the police and citizens. Another recommendation is to avoid trying to enforce general bans on Radical groups unless they engage in terrorism, as this may lead to those groups becoming more violent and going underground.
