Thousands march in Paris against police self-defense presumption bill
Protesters demand the Sénat reject a bill giving police a legal presumption that use of force was justified.
What to know
- The bill would create a legal presumption that police officers acted lawfully when using their weapons, already passed by the Assemblée Nationale in July 2026 and now awaiting a Sénat vote.
- Thousands protested in Paris against the bill, framing it as a dangerous expansion of police impunity.
- Online reaction, dominated by Bluesky commenters, overwhelmingly likens the bill to U.S. 'qualified immunity' and cites ICE-related killings as a cautionary example.
- A smaller thread of commenters warns that destructive protest tactics could backfire politically, strengthening the far right.
The dispute Commenters agree the bill is dangerous, but split on whether militant/destructive protest tactics help or hurt the cause of stopping it. · positions read across 62 posts and comments
The bill mirrors US 'qualified immunity' and will lead to unchecked police violence, so it must be stopped.
-
“In us it called “qualified immunity”. This is what you implement if you think that your police does not kill enough innocent people.”
atchijov.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
France should keep protesting/escalating pressure, using its tradition of mass mobilization as a model the US lacks.
-
“You are FRANCE. You have a long, proud history of marching in the streets successfully.”
tigersclaw1.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Destructive protest tactics like burning property are counterproductive and push voters toward the far right.
-
“Seriously each time they do burn/smash public and private property they drive more people to Le Pen.”
shadowops.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
A former or current law enforcement perspective agrees the bill is legal overreach that invites abuse.
-
“The “suspect was thinking of defending themselves, against my intended illegal actions” Says it all. I have 30 years of Law Enforcement & know this is overreach and problematic .”
carlfruge.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Assemblée Nationale Lower house of French ParliamentSénat Upper house of French ParliamentParis protesters Demonstrators against the billFrench police / law enforcement officials Beneficiaries of the proposed legal presumption
How it unfolded 3 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
-
3
Some warn that property destruction during protests could backfire
Other commenters cautioned that violent protest tactics such as burning property risk alienating the public and strengthening far-right politics.
“Seriously each time they do burn/smash public and private property they drive more people to Le Pen.”
— shadowops.bsky.social -
End qualified immunity rather than expand it!
2 more of the top 3 · 49 posts in this stretch
-
Dude, if you think Melanchon Is the best candidate for France, you are absolutely delusional. He hates the French. Why the hell should put some guy who hates the people of a country in charge of that country.
-
It is this attitude that has led to over 600 deaths in custody of first nations in Australia in the past 26 years The fact that there is no one removing the far right, the racists and the violent from police and prison duties is the issue. Police do not need less oversight, they need more.
-
-
2
A self-described 30-year law enforcement veteran calls bill 'overreach'
Among the reactions, a commenter identifying as a longtime law enforcement professional criticized the bill's presumption-of-self-defense language as problematic.
“I have 30 years of Law Enforcement & know this is overreach and problematic .”
— carlfruge.bsky.social -
In us it called “qualified immunity”. This is what you implement if you think that your police does not kill enough innocent people.
2 more of the top 3 · 11 posts in this stretch
-
In 1982, SCOTUS established the qualified immunity defense for police officers. Anyone who has been subjected to police misconduct, or represents those who have, knows that qualified immunity has become an almost impenetrable shield. We now have ICE killing citizens in the streets. Keep protesting!
-
Don't fall into that trap of "qualified immunity" like we have in the US. It brings plenty of miscarriages of Justice.
-
-
1
Online commenters liken bill to US 'qualified immunity'
A large wave of Bluesky comments compared the French proposal to qualified immunity protections for police in the United States, citing incidents involving ICE, and urged the Sénat to reject the bill.
“In us it called “qualified immunity”. This is what you implement if you think that your police does not kill enough innocent people.”
— atchijov.bsky.social -
They don't like that shit? They march. If the government doesn't listen, cars burn. Meanwhile in the USA: Turd's SS is murdering people openly. A few local protests and nothing else.
1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
-
France, police or political unaccountability is really bad. —an American
-
-
background
Thousands march in Paris against the bill — Protesters gathered in Paris to oppose the bill before it moves to a vote in the Sénat.
-
background
Assemblée Nationale approves police self-defense bill — MPs in the lower house approved legislation stating that any law enforcement official who uses force is assumed to have acted legally in using their weapon.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
-
first by Mastodon, 3d ago · also Al Jazeera, France 24 EN
2 more headlines
- ‘Licence to kill:’ French protests decry police use-of-force bill Al Jazeera · 3d ago
- What’s behind French protests against a new police bill? Al Jazeera · 2d ago
-
first by Bangkok Post, 3d ago · also SCMP, Straits Times
and 1 smaller piece
What people are saying 16 voices from 2 sites · best of 62 · verbatim
- Will the Sénat actually reject the bill given the scale of the protests?
- How would the presumption of self-defense be applied in practice to cases involving deaths in police custody?
- Sep 21
-
I was more thinking about the violence against the yellow jackets or at Saint Soline. Racism is very much a thing as well, and much more in the spotlight this year indeed
-
Expanding police powers is especially scary considering that France is going to elect the authoritarian Le Pen next year to be its leader. Authoritarians love police brutality.
- Sep 20
-
don't allow it, France. qualified immunity for police is a license for legalized murder.
-
It’s an excuse to shoot you for breathing too deeply.
-
Trying to be like American cops and their qualified immunity.
-
The problem is the destruction. Right to protest yes, right to burn property no. And now the insurance is out of control because these f*ckers. Seriously each time they do burn/smash public and private property they drive more people to Le Pen.
-
Sounds like a very conservative idea. "You have no right to defend yourself against a criminal police riot."
-
Many will be killed by the police with the “she was resisting “ story.
-
For the love of democracy, start shit on fire over this one, my dear french peers! This is obsfucated language for "qualified immunity."
-
In the US, we call that qualified immunity. You are FRANCE. You have a long, proud history of marching in the streets successfully. Watch how US ICE uses, qualified immunity to abuse our citizens. Call a nationwide general strike like the United States should. DO NOT LET THAT BILL PASS!!!
-
Love the French ethos The waiters are a nightmare But the solidarity is immense
-
Big mistake, ramping brutality is what you’re going to get. Just look at ICE, the thugs human traffickers with a badge .
-
"If we're beating the hell out of you then you are NOT ALLOWED to defend yourself or block our punches and batons".
-
The “suspect was thinking of defending themselves, against my intended illegal actions” Says it all. I have 30 years of Law Enforcement & know this is overreach and problematic .
-
Look how that has worked in America? Permission to abuse & murder.
-
Jesus christ, fucking global fascist horror show. Kill this disgusting bill