100,000 Signatures Against French Bill Presuming Lawful Gun Use by Police

A petition urging French lawmakers to reject a bill that presumes the lawful use of firearms by police and gendarmes has garnered over 100,000 signatures. Opponents decry the legislation as a "historic blow to the rule of law" and a violation of European human rights jurisprudence.

The petition, published online and amplified by lawmakers hostile to the bill, argues that France already has the highest number of people killed or injured by law enforcement in the EU. It contends that the proposed law risks increasing these figures and "violates the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights."

"By presuming the legality of the shot, it transfers the burden of proof to the victims, frees the state from its obligation of justification, and goes against the very concept of human rights," the petition states. The Paris Bar Council echoed these concerns, asserting that the rule of law requires law enforcement to not benefit from a "principle of immunity."

Initially, the bill proposed a presumption of "legitimate defense" for officers. A ministerial amendment revised the wording to state that when officers use their weapons, they "are presumed to have acted" within the law, a presumption that can be overturned by contrary evidence. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez previously stated the bill "will simply lift the automaticity of police custody." However, critics maintain the revised wording does not alter the fundamental issue.

The bill, initially debated in January, is set to return to the National Assembly. While the petition's organizers hope for 500,000 signatures to trigger a debate, the bill is likely to be examined before that threshold is reached. The bill is supported by the LR party and has garnered support from other government coalition members.