In what could become a judicial landmark in France, a group of 15 Black French citizens and others of Arab-origin, aged between 16 and 47, filed a lawsuit this week against the French State for having been subjected to racial profiling by police. They are demanding that the French Ministry of the Interior prove that the identity checks to which they were subjected by police have a legal basis and are not founded on the colour of their skin nor their ethnic background. Louise Fessard reports.
Last month French interior minister Claude Guéant announced a drive to put thousands more police on the streets to create "a climate of security" and called on senior officers to encourage closer relations with local populations. But the relationship between the police and public in France has long been a troubled one, rooted in history and pervaded by a strong mistrust on both sides. In an interview with Mediapart, Christian Mouhanna, a researcher and academic specialised in police and judicial issues, identifies the causes and explains why so many attempts to bridge the divide have failed, creating an increasing malaise within the police itself.
The fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak followed directly the overthrow in January of Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. The two strongmen had much in common, beginning with their secret police. Mediapart has obtained official documents seized during the strife in Tunisia which illustrate the extent of the Ben Ali regime's nationwide web of informers, ranging from taxi drivers to undercover agent 'activists'.
Directeur de la publication : Edwy Plenel
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