Report Accuses French Police of Targeting Young Black and Arab Individuals

A coalition of human rights organizations has released a report accusing French police of systematically targeting young Black and Arab individuals with fines based on their racial identity rather than their behavior. The report, published on June 17 by Human Rights Watch, (Re) Claim, and the Maison communautaire pour un développement solidaire (MCDS), documents police practices that disproportionately affect these communities.

The report highlights that many of those fined are simply present in public spaces, often near their homes. According to the findings, the use of broad charges such as "infractions à la tranquillité publique" (breaches of public tranquillity) has become a common tool for police to issue penalties. Omer Mas Capitolin, president of MCDS, stated that these children are being penalized "not for what they do, but for what they are."

Lanna Hollo, a representative from (Re) Claim, described the pattern as a form of racial profiling, noting that young Black and Arab individuals are disproportionately affected. The report includes testimonies from families, such as that of a mother identified as Nema (a pseudonym), whose children have accumulated multiple fines under these practices.

The organizations are calling for systemic reforms to address what they describe as discriminatory policing. The report aims to provide objective evidence of long-standing allegations of racial bias within French law enforcement.