France: press freedom hampered by police violence during 'Block Everything' protests

At least seven journalists were physically assaulted by the police in Paris, the capital, and the south of the country while covering the Block Everything(Bloquons tout) protests that counted between 197,000 and 250,000 participants across France. These violations of press freedom and the right to information contradict the National Law Enforcement Plan (SNMO), a document published in 2021 by the Interior Ministry that guarantees journalists' right to cover law enforcement operations, to be protected by them and to wear protective equipment during protests, whether the events are declared, undeclared or banned.

Freelance journalist Samuel Clauzier, who works for outlets such as local news site Rue89Bordeaux, was attacked twice by the police while covering the events of 10 September in the southern city of Montpellier. According to RSF information, the journalist was clearly identified as such by a helmet and an armband marked "press". At around 6 a.m., while covering a police charge on protestors, the journalist was sprayed with tear gas at very close range, which immobilised him on the ground for about ten minutes. At around 4 p.m., while filming an arrest near the square Place de la Comédie, a police officer grabbed his camera to turn it off, then knocked him to the ground. Once he got up and turned his camera back on, the same police officer rushed at him and tried to put him in a chokehold, destroying the flash on his camera in the process.

Freelance journalist Emmanuel Hoarau, who was covering the demonstrations for the daily L'Humanité, reported he was shoved several times by police while covering arrests in Pau, another southern city. Freelance photographer Morgan Bisson, who was covering the events for the Hans Lucas photo agency in Toulouse, was struck with a baton that hit her camera and hand while photographing an arrest. According to RSF information, the photographer was also clearly identified by two armbands and a helmet marked "press".

In the capital, several journalists, all clearly identified by their armbands or helmets, were also victims of physical intimidation and assaults by the police. While covering a restaurant fire in Châtelet, a neighbourhood in central Paris, Lisa Lap, a photojournalist for the online television channel Le Média, was violently pushed back by a police officer, who then punched her on the helmet. Seconds later, another police officer put his hand over the face of her fellow journalist Lisa Noyal and poked her in the eye. Another victim was Jose Rexach,a reporter for independent news website Blast, who was injured by shrapnel from a stun grenade in the back and leg on Boulevard Sébastopol. He was immediately treated by emergency services and continued to cover the events. Independent reporter Enzo Rabouy was injured in the wrist after being hit with a baton while covering a police charge on the central street Rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis.

These clear abuses are yet another sign of the resurgence of police violence against journalists covering social movements in France, which RSF warned againstin May 2025 during the traditional May Day demonstration for workers' rights. More recently, on 4 September, the NGO condemnedthe new powers granted to the police in the National Law Enforcement Plan (SNVU), a document that negates all the progress made in protecting journalists covering demonstrations.