Thousands Flood Paris Streets Demanding Resources, Police Support
Rally organizers estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 participants marched through the capital, proceeding from Place de la Bastille to Place de la Nation beneath a banner declaring "Citizens with the police, stop insecurity, stop impunity."
The Paris demonstration coincided with synchronized protests spanning approximately 20 municipalities throughout France, including Marseille, Nice, Lille, and Bordeaux, alongside multiple overseas territories under French jurisdiction.
Among those assembled was Cyril Benoit, zonal secretary of the SNIPAT union (Independent Union of Interior Ministry Staff), representing administrative, technical, and scientific personnel working within the national police apparatus.
"We are not here to ask for pay rises. We are here to ask for staff and basic resources," Benoit told media.
"In many police stations, we lack the essentials: functional toilets, showers, changing rooms, work clothing, and even working printers. Our vehicles are old, and mobility is a real issue. We want recognition, respect, and the means to do our jobs properly," he added.
Benoit revealed personnel deficits affect both daytime and overnight shifts, with certain patrol units downsized due to insufficient staffing levels across the force.
Security challenges intensify pressure
Union leadership contends that demands on the police service have escalated dramatically in recent years, particularly as major public events necessitate extraordinary deployment of officers.
"If we want to maintain that same level of security for citizens, we need mass recruitment. Without it, we cannot ensure training, continuous operations, or safe coverage day and night," Benoit said.
Within the Hauts-de-Seine department exclusively, Alliance Police documented the departure of 200 officers since 2020, creating operational gaps.
"We are stretched to the limit. Working conditions are catastrophic, officers are buried under files, and nothing works as promised," Yannick Le Bihan, a local union representative, told local media.
The protests reflect mounting frustration within France's law enforcement community over what officers describe as chronic underfunding and administrative neglect, as they simultaneously face increasing public safety responsibilities and political pressure to maintain order during civil unrest.
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