UN experts have called on France to undertake a review of its policing practices, expressing concern at the "reported excessive use of force" against protesters.
The experts on Thursday referred in particular to the policing of this year's nationwide protests against pensions reform and demonstrations in the countryside against the installation of controversial giant water "basins" to irrigate crops.
It was signed by seven of the United Nations' special rapporteurs: experts appointed to investigate and report back on their areas of expertise to the United Nations. They are not UN staff and do not speak for the UN.
The experts looked at reports that the "Brav-M" motorised brigade in Paris had "threatened and hit demonstrators" and that officers had allegedly fired rubber bullets from moving quad bikes at a protest against the "basins" in Sainte-Soline.
Alarming violence
"We know that some isolated acts of violence have damaged public property and injured members of the security forces," s aid the experts.
"However, the number of people injured and the severity of reported acts of violence is alarming."
In their statement, they called on France to carry out a full review of their policing methods, and to allow protesters to express their concerns and ensure the right to peaceful protest.
"We remind France that any policing strategy must respect the principles of necessity and proportionality," they added. France's interior ministry, contacted by AFP, offered no comment.
There has been growing concern inside France at what critics say is the disproportionate use of violence by police during the recent protests.
The UN experts have already, in the past, expressed concern about France's policing of the sometimes violent "yellow vest" protests during President Emmanuel Macron's first term.
