By Hafsa Alami
PARIS (AA) – Thousands of people gathered in Paris on Saturday as part of a nationwide protest organized by the Alliance Police Nationale union, urging stronger backing for law enforcement, improved working conditions, and greater resources.
Organizers said between 15,000 and 20,000 demonstrators joined the Paris march, which moved from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation under a banner reading “Citizens with the police, stop insecurity, stop impunity.”
The Paris rally was held alongside coordinated demonstrations in around 20 cities across France, including Marseille, Nice, Lille, and Bordeaux, as well as several overseas territories.
Among the demonstrators was Cyril Benoit, zonal secretary of the SNIPAT union (Independent Union of Interior Ministry Staff), representing administrative, technical, and scientific employees within the national police.
“We are not here to ask for pay rises. We are here to ask for staff and basic resources,” Benoit told Anadolu.
“In many police stations, we lack the essentials: functional toilets, showers, changing rooms, work clothing, and even working printers. Our vehicles are old, and mobility is a real issue. We want recognition, respect, and the means to do our jobs properly,” he added.
Benoit said staffing shortages affect both day and night shifts, with some patrols reduced because of a lack of personnel.
- Security challenges
Union leaders argue that pressure on the police force has intensified in recent years, even as large-scale events have required exceptional mobilization.
“If we want to maintain that same level of security for citizens, we need mass recruitment. Without it, we cannot ensure training, continuous operations, or safe coverage day and night,” Benoit said.
In the Hauts-de-Seine department alone, Alliance Police reported the loss of 200 officers since 2020.
“We are stretched to the limit. Working conditions are catastrophic, officers are buried under files, and nothing works as promised,” Yannick Le Bihan, a local union representative, told local media.
- Violence against police
The protest also attracted activists who say police officers are facing increasing hostility and legal vulnerability.
Alice Cardier, director of the Nemesis collective, said her group joined the rally to show solidarity with law enforcement.
“Many police officers feel insecure, especially on the judicial level. Some end up in prison simply for defending themselves,” she told Anadolu.
“Police officers also have the right to self-defense. We are a generation that supports its police and will no longer accept seeing them attacked or demonized,” Alice added.
She argued that violent attacks against police during some protests have gone unpunished, which she believes erodes respect for law enforcement.
- Government response
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez did not attend the demonstration, citing union election rules that require ministerial neutrality.
“Even though I will not participate personally, the police movement has my full support and understanding,” he said.
Nunez said the government has created 12,500 security jobs since 2017, doubled investment in police facilities, purchased 19,000 new vehicles, and allocated an additional €100 million ($119 million) to the national police budget.
He also announced plans to create 1,000 new police positions, including 700 within the judicial branch, which he said is under severe strain.
Despite these measures, police unions maintain that staffing shortages and poor working conditions remain urgent and unresolved concerns.