{
  "id": 8740089,
  "title": "Thousands march in France against ‘licence to kill’ draft law",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/thousands-march-in-france-against-licence-to-kill-draft-law-8740089",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-20T17:55:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3368176/thousands-march-france-against-licence-kill-draft-law"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Sunday, thousands of individuals gathered in Paris and numerous French cities to protest a proposed law concerning the lawful use of force by police and gendarmes. Critics argue that the bill would grant police officials a \"license to kill.\" In July, the National Assembly voted in favor of the bill, stipulating that any police officer utilizing force is presumed to have acted legally. The Senate will now decide on the legislation. The demonstration included politicians, rights advocates, and activists such as Mathilde Panot, a representative of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party. Panot criticized the bill, stating that \"the police already kill\" and calling for its rejection in the Senate. She emphasized that \"in the Republic, there can be no organized police impunity\" and that \"in the Republic, there cannot be a category of citizens who hold the right of life or death over other citizens.\"\n\nAmal Bentousi, whose brother Amine was shot in the back by police in 2012, participated in the march. She described the bill as a \"license to execute\" that would \"reverse the burden of proof\" in such incidents. Organisations like Amnesty International, France's magistrates' union, and the League of Human Rights joined the protest. In Lyon, around 4,500 people rallied, while Toulouse saw approximately 3,700 participants. The bill's petition on the National Assembly website amassed 730,000 signatures; however, a parliamentary law committee dismissed it in July.\n\nProponents of the bill argue that it would prevent police officers from being immediately suspected or detained when using armed force. Nevertheless, Cedric Picard of Amnesty International expressed fear that the law would result in increased police violence. He noted that in a country where police abuse is among the worst, the bill could exacerbate the situation. Hugo, a high school student and protester from Marseille, echoed this sentiment. On Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez urged police to be \"particularly vigilant\" during the protests due to concerns over potential incidents. In Rennes, eight individuals were arrested, and three police officers sustained injuries after protesters hurled projectiles at them.",
  "summary": "Thousands of people marched in Paris and other French cities on Sunday against a proposed law on the legitimate use of force that critics say would be a “licence to kill” for police and gendarmes. In July, deputies in the National Assembly approved the bill which says that any police official who uses force is assumed to have acted legally when using their weapon. It now faces a vote in the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Thousands protest against draft law in Paris and French cities",
    "Critics claim law grants police a \"license to kill\"",
    "Protests include politicians, rights advocates, and activists"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Local France",
        "title": "Thousands march in France against 'licence to kill' draft law",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/20/thousands-march-in-france-against-licence-to-kill-draft-law",
        "published": "2026-09-20T15:09:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}