French police complain to the state...a shocking paradox at the heart of the protests

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The confrontation in France is no longer limited to demonstrators and security forces; The crisis moved within the agency charged with restoring order, after the National Police Union, “Alliance,” announced its intention to file a complaint against the state, accusing it of endangering the lives of its members, due to what it described as contradictory orders and unclear directives during the protests.

This step reveals a less visible side of the crisis. While the government is demanding to regain control of the streets, representatives of some police elements accuse the political and security leadership of not providing a clear framework for dealing with the escalation.

The union says that its members were subjected to violence and popular hostility, in light of what it considered a contradiction between public political statements and instructions reaching field forces.

This puts the government before questions about how to manage large-scale security operations in several cities, when peaceful protests overlap with acts of sabotage and confrontations.

The complaint, in and of itself, does not mean that the state is legally responsible, but it transfers the dispute over crisis management to within the security institution, and opens the door to questioning the way decisions are made and the distribution of responsibilities.

On the other hand, the use of crowd dispersal means, including sound bombs and tear gas, sparked widespread controversy after serious injuries were recorded among young protesters, the latest of which was a young man whose arm was amputated.

The authorities are facing demands to clarify the circumstances of the injuries and investigate allegations related to the use of force.

The sensitivity of the issue increases because the movement began with student protests against the shortage of teachers and deteriorating study conditions, before expanding to include broader social and economic demands.

The irony lies in the fact that the government is at the same time required to protect residents, stores, and public facilities, guarantee the right to demonstrate, investigate any potential violations, and maintain police officers’ confidence in their leaders.

Thus, one of the most difficult tests for the French authorities is not simply deploying more forces, but rather proving that they have a clear and consistent strategy for dealing with the protests, through which they can protect people from violence without the imposition of order turning into an additional source of tension.

The question raised by these developments: If a police union accuses the state of exposing its members to danger, and demonstrators complain about crowd dispersal methods, has the method of managing the protests itself become part of the French crisis?

It is noteworthy that French Prime Minister Sebastien Le Cornu announced yesterday, Tuesday, that the security deployment during next Saturday's demonstrations will be very extensive, accusing "far-left groups" of planning a rebellion.

The Prime Minister said: “The Minister of Interior gave instructions to the local authorities. The deployment will be heavy next Saturday.”

For his part, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed, saying: “Some army forces will be deployed to confront next Saturday’s protests.”

He added, "We will, of course, strengthen the security deployment from what it was on October 17, and the methods of intervention will be reviewed in terms of capabilities, the size of the participating forces of course, and the speed of response and movement, to confront and confront these groups, which are dispersing the security forces in a very carefully planned manner."

For its part, the Paris Police confirmed that it will use drones equipped with cameras to monitor vital areas, as part of the security measures established to secure the demonstrations.

France is preparing for a new Saturday of protests amid fears of renewed violence, after the government pledged to tighten security measures and expand the scope of prosecutions against those involved in sabotage and looting.