Across the planet, police unions are more openly detaching from the justice systems they are embedded in. Case in point.
four continuous days of rioting in France after the police kill a young protester. A library (god damn it) is on the casualty list, as it was burned down.
Here’s the translation of a joint communiqué by UNSA and Alliance Police Nationale, the two main police unions in France. Translation provided by Arnaud Bertrand (@RnaudBertrand on twitter).
“Now that’s enough… Facing these savage hordes, asking for calm is no longer enough, it must be imposed! Restoring the republican order and putting the apprehended beyond the capacity to harm should be the only political signals to give. In the face of such exactions, the police family must stand together. Our colleagues, like the majority of citizens, can no longer bear the tyranny of these violent minorities. The time is not for union action, but for combat against these “pests”. Surrendering, capitulating, and pleasing them by laying down arms are not the solutions in light of the gravity of the situation. All means must be put in place to restore the rule of law as quickly as possible. Once restored, we already know that we will relive this mess that we have been enduring for decades. For these reasons, Alliance Police Nationale and UNSA Police will take their responsibilities and warn the government from now on that at the end, we will be in action and without concrete measures for the legal protection of the Police, an appropriate penal response, significant means provided, the police will judge the extent of the consideration given. Today the police are in combat because we are at war. Tomorrow we will be in resistance and the government will have to become aware of it.”
The original document, in case of dispute.
Isn’t that nice? Not only do they want to kill protesters with impunity, they want the government to sanction it. I note the use of the word ‘savage’ which is global code for either Indigenous or brown. Christ wept. You may note some other locutions as being a veritable symphony of dog whistles for the racist & xenophobic hard right.
This is not the last time we’re going to see police unions pull shit like this.
For the last time: the police are public servants. If they don’t act or talk like it FIRE THEM
