French police stage impromptu protest after violence against officers
PARIS- Hundreds of French police officers staged an unauthorised protest overnight in Paris against anti-police violence, driving their vehicles down the Champs Elysee boulevard with sirens and flashing lights.
French security forces are already under immense pressure following a string of deadly Islamist militant attacks in the past 18 months. Police say they face staff and equipment shortages, and are frequently forced to work overtime.
Police unions complained angrily a week ago about the risk of being sent into gang-ridden "no-go zones" after two officers were injured in a petrol bomb attack on their patrol car in notoriously crime-ridden zone 30 km south of Paris.
Local TV channels LCI and BFM TV broadcast interviews with the police officers who said they had decided to organise the protest spontaneously, without official backing of their labour unions. Their job was becoming impossible, the officers, whose identities were concealed, told the television stations.
