Protests in about 100 French cities over the weekend demanded the rejection of a bill that presumes police and gendarmes acted lawfully when using their weapons, dubbed a ‘licence to kill’ by critics.

The bill passed the National Assembly on 7 July and awaits a Senate vote; a petition against it gathered 730,000 signatures and was dismissed by the law committee. In Rennes, police arrested eight people and three officers were injured after projectiles were thrown, according to authorities cited by French media (BFM TV, Le Parisien and L’Indépendant). Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez asked prefects for ‘particular vigilance’ over the risk of clashes at some of the planned marches. RT reported clashes in Paris and published video from the demonstration; French media reports put thousands on the streets of Paris and Marseille, where Amnesty International’s Cédric Picard said the group fears more police violence if the bill becomes law.