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Among the victims of the security forces was a Syrian photojournalist who, despite being easily identifiable as such, was injured in the head.
VIDEOS: Violent police repression against demonstrators at protests in France
Violent police repression against demonstrators took place this Tuesday in France, during the protests called by the unions against the increase in the cost of living.
It is estimated that no less than 107.000 people took to the streets in different parts of the country to demand salary increases. In return, and as can be seen in videos that went viral on social networks, the police officers of the French capital used all means, including brutal beatings of women, the elderly, students and journalists, to disperse the massive anti-government protest.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IMAGES MAY HURT YOUR SENSITIVITY
Throwing tear gas and beating protesters with batons by the French police on the second day of protest rally in Paris. People are protesting the increase in prices and sanctions against Russia and sending weapons to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/JI7vNUdLzF
— Angelina (@SpaceGirlLina) October 18, 2022
The security forces had already had to resort to tear gas a few days ago, but the images captured on Tuesday show an escalation of violence. Thus, in a video you can see a crowd of armed police charging against a group of protesters who were taking refuge behind a makeshift barricade. Another shows officers beating them with batons and spraying them with pepper spray. Even more shocking, they also did it against people who did not use any type of force to resist the Police.
Politicians in the European Union are terrorizing their own citizens 🤷♀️Paris Protest Chaos: Demonstrators build barricades in the French capital – police use force to disperse them pic.twitter.com/LObTIHdpgz
— srb news (@srbnews0) October 18, 2022
Violence against the press
In addition, the Syrian photojournalist Zakaria Abdelkafi, who was covering the Parisian demonstration, was injured in the head during a police attack .
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IMAGES MAY HURT YOUR SENSITIVITY
“They were hitting in all directions,” said Gabrielle Cézard, a photographer for the Sipa Press agency, who was at the march and confirmed to Libération that Abdelkafi fell after the police charge. She added that although the man was not wearing a ‘press’ badge, he was clearly identifiable as he was carrying a large camera. “They hit him with a baton on the head, which is an area of the body that is not supposed to be hit,” he said.
Fortunately, almost immediately the photojournalist was attended by volunteer doctors, while bleeding profusely from one eyebrow, as shown in several photos and videos. “He is fine, fortunately his eye was not affected,” said Fadi Aldahouk, a colleague of the victim and a correspondent for the Al Arabiya television channel. The protests, which also took place in other locations in French territory, have been called by various organizations that reject the Government’s management by Emmanuel Macron, among which is the group Francia Insumisa, chaired by Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Sectors such as the oil industry, rail transport, public services and health have been called to participate in the mobilizations.
