Thousands protest in France against bill expanding protections for police use of force

Demonstrators take part in a march against the bill dubbed the "permis de tuer" (licence to kill), which would grant police and gendarmes a presumption of legitimate self-defence when using firearms, in Paris, 20 September 2026. © Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt, AFP

Thousands marched across France on Sunday against a bill that would presume police officers acted lawfully when using their weapons, a measure critics have denounced as a "licence to kill".

Thousands of people marched in Paris and other French cities on Sunday against a proposed law on the legitimate use of force that critics say would be a "licence to kill" for police and gendarmes.