Lawyers plan complaint against French interior minister over protest injuries

Lawyers representing protesters say they intend to bring a collective complaint against Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez at France’s Court of Justice of the Republic, alleging responsibility for authorising weapons that caused serious injuries. The reports describe the planned legal action amid scrutiny of police crowd-control tactics during recent demonstrations.

• Lawyers said they plan to file a collective complaint against Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez at the Court of Justice of the Republic, which handles alleged offences by ministers in the exercise of their duties.· 1 source
• The lawyers allege that weapons used by police caused severe or permanent injuries and that ministerial orders and guidelines make the government responsible. These are allegations, not findings by a court.· 2 sources
• About 10 clients had agreed to join the complaint, while the legal team represented at least 18 people injured during demonstrations, according to the report.· 1 source
• An AFP count cited in the report said at least 20 people, many teenagers, had suffered serious injuries since mid-September after being struck by police launchers or grenades.· 1 source
• The report said police had opened 105 internal investigations into alleged brutality as of 30 October, including 52 linked to student protests and 48 to demonstrations on 17 and 18 October.· 1 source