French officials avoid the term “police violence” despite mounting protest evidence
French leaders, including Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, reject the label “police violence” and call recent incidents “accidents,” even as students and unions highlight graphic footage of police aggression.
Recent school protests in France produced graphic images of police using a chokehold on a crying teenager, a grenade-launcher blast aimed at a student, and crowds drenched in tear gas. Students, university members and unions quickly branded these actions as police violence, demanding accountability. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu responded by rejecting the phrase, insisting it implies political orders for repression and calling the events “accidents” instead.
Historian Arnaud-Dominique Houte explains that the reluctance to use the term emerged in the 2010s, turning it into a politically sensitive word. He contrasts this with the long history of criticism of police harshness dating back to the Third Republic. The piece argues that the government’s semantic avoidance masks the reality of the incidents while preserving a narrative of legitimacy for the police.
Why it matters
The debate over terminology shapes public perception of police conduct and influences accountability for state violence.
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