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Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across France to protest a proposed law that would introduce a presumption that police and gendarmes act lawfully when using their firearms.

The proposal, approved by French lawmakers on July 7, would mean officers are presumed to have acted within the law when using their weapons, though that presumption could be challenged with evidence to the contrary.

Protesters have described the measure as a potential “license to kill” and are calling for the bill to be blocked before it is debated in the French Senate. 

The demonstrations were backed by civil rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the Human Rights League, as well as left-wing groups and a judges’ union.

In Paris, police estimated that around 21,000 people joined the march. Left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who is running in the 2027 presidential election, joined protesters as crowds chanted slogans opposing the law and police conduct.

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