Over 23,000 People Protest Against Police Brutality Across France - Reports

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th June, 2020) More than 23,000 people participated in demonstrations against police brutality and racism across France on Saturday, French media report.

In Paris, around 5,500 people took to the streets on Saturday, gathering outside the US embassy compound and at the Champs de Mars park facing the Eiffel Tower, France 24 tv said.

According to the French Interior Ministry, overall, more than 23,000 people protested nationwide on Saturday in about a dozen cities, including Lyon, Bordeaux, Nice, Lille and Metz, France 24 TV reported.

The current wave of mass protests in the US and other countries was sparked by the death of George Floyd, an African-American man, in police custody in the US state of Minnesota. Floyd died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis white police officer, pinned him to the ground with his knee for over eight minutes. A total of four police officers have been fired in connection with the incident. Chauvin has been charged with murder and manslaughter while the other three officers have been charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

In Paris, several protests have already been held in connection with Floyd's death. On June 2, about 20,000 people demonstrated in the French capital, clashing with police.