United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged effective investigations into allegations of unlawful force amid protests across five European countries, calling for accountability and remedies for victims.
In an Oct. 20 statement, Türk addressed demonstrations in Albania, Belgium, France, Italy and Portugal. He said reports of unnecessary or excessive force by authorities, including against children, were a source of concern.
He called for investigations that are independent and effective, alongside accountability and remedies for people harmed. Police responses, he said, should comply with legal requirements and stay within what the circumstances require.
Türk also condemned violence during the demonstrations. He said people responsible for damage to public or private property should be held individually accountable.
His statement said authorities should protect peaceful demonstrations and take protesters’ concerns seriously. He urged officials to speak with protesters, especially young people, and address grievances from housing and the cost of living to schools, public services and inequality. Türk said some authorities had taken steps to investigate incidents and ease tensions.
AFP reported on Oct. 20 that the National Police Inspectorate had opened six investigations into alleged police violence during France’s Oct. 17–18 unrest, including cases involving two seriously injured minors. Earlier EconoTimes coverage noted that the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner raised concerns about injuries during the 2019 Yellow Vest movement and called for accountability for police violence, a precedent in France’s protest-policing debate.
Separately, France’s Senate is scheduled to present its findings on protest policing Oct. 21.
