Former Police Officer Fabien Bilheran Assesses State Violence During France's October 17 Protests

Fabien Bilheran, a former police officer, offers an assessment of whether and to what extent violence during France's October 17 protests originated from police. The demonstrations produced street battles and looting, charred cars, a burning town hall in Limoges, and at least 1,500 devastated businesses. Authorities recorded 2,400 arrests and nearly 1,000 injured police officers; one youth lost an eye and another lost a hand. Police appeared badly overwhelmed, and in Paris the planned demonstration radius was far too small while entire street sections were completely sealed off, making confrontations inevitable. Officers also deployed large quantities of tear gas and stun grenades in several locations before demonstrators could even gather. The full interview appears in the current issue of Freitag.