Police Reform: France Bans Controversial Neck Restraint in Law Enforcement

"The neck grip method, known as the stranglehold, will be abandoned and will no longer be taught in police and gendarmerie schools," the minister said at a press conference. Furthermore, if a police officer or gendarme has to hold someone on the ground during an arrest, it will now be forbidden to lean on their neck or throat."

His wish, he says, is to implement a reform of the inspections for "more independence". "I will only be satisfied when we can stop wondering how we went from the ’Vive la police!’ chanted during the demonstrations following the attacks against Charlie to the slogans and horror of recent days," suggests Christophe Castaner.

This press conference follows the rallies against racism and police violence in France organized last Saturday. "This cry [against racism, against hatred, against all discrimination], I hear it," assured the Minister of the Interior, who nevertheless rejects any similarity between the American and French situations.

"France is not the United States. [...] With Laurent Nuñez [Secretary of State to the Minister of the Interior], we will never cease to defend the honor of the security forces. [...] In the face of amalgams and filthy slogans, I will never accept the permanent accusations of a well-minority but howling part of the population," Christophe Castaner pledges, hammering that "there is no racist institution or targeted violence".

"I will not let the odious actions of some cast opprobrium on an entire institution. In recent weeks, too many have failed in their republican duty," admits the minister. "Racist remarks have been made, discrimination revealed. This is unacceptable. I want zero tolerance for racism in our Republic."