The Intelligence from The Economist No show of force: France’s controversial police-protection bill
Nov 30, 2020
Sophie Petter, the Paris bureau chief for The Economist, discusses the fierce protests ignited by a controversial police-protection bill, which critics say threatens media freedom and accountability amidst rising concerns over police brutality. Mark Johnson, the education correspondent, examines global educational responses to the pandemic's disruption of high-stakes exams, revealing stark differences in grading outcomes. The conversation also touches on South Africa's alarming rise in livestock theft and the challenges faced by farmers.
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Police Brutality Incident
- Michel Zecler, a Black record producer, was beaten by Paris police.
- He was allegedly called a racial slur and detained for assaulting officers.
Controversial Security Bill
- A proposed security bill in France would criminalize sharing police images with "malevolent intent".
- This has sparked concerns about shielding police brutality from public scrutiny.
Racial Dimension of Police Brutality
- Filming police violence, especially with racial implications, is central to the discussion.
- France lacks ethnic data collection, making it hard to quantify racially targeted policing.