Investigations launched into French police violence against protesters: Media reports

Amid massive demonstrations this week against President Emmanuel Macron's unpopular pension changes, 15 investigations have been launched in France into police violence against protesters, local media reported Saturday.

Investigations are focused on the use of excessive force and verbal threats by police teams against demonstrators, said national broadcaster BFM.

While 12 of the investigations were launched by the interior minister, three others were initiated by the public prosecutor in Paris, it added.

Matthieu Valet, a senior official at the police trade union SICP, told BFM that police fatigue under hard-working conditions might have something to do with "violent practices by some police."

Laurent Nunez, a senior police commander in Paris, ruled out dissolution of the BRAV-M police unit, one of the units accused of using excessive force against the protestors.

"The behavior of a few individuals should not cast opprobrium on an entire unit which, in recent years, and particularly at this time, has proven its usefulness," he said.

Fabien Roussel, leader of the opposition French Communist Party (PCF), argued that Macron is the one to be blamed for the ongoing turmoil in the country.

Roussel said Macron is creating conditions for "civil war" and counting on violence in the protests against pension reforms to reverse public opinion.