Ethnic profiling: the embarrassing memo of the State – The Point

It was one of the key measures of the campaign of Francois Hollande in 2012. Prior to his election, the future head of state was committed to the fight against discrimination in identity checks. 30 The number of the program commitment to restore justice: “I will fight against racial profiling in identity checks through a procedure respectful of citizens and against any discrimination in employment and housing. I constantly fight racism and anti-Semitism, “he wrote.

Five years later, a memo revealed by Mediapart said that “the state judicial officer” believes legitimizes racial profiling for “the only population it appears that may be foreign, “in the event of possible breaches of the law on foreigners.

5 controls the heart of the controversy

The story actually started in 2015. In June, the State had provided in Cassation after being convicted of “gross negligence” as a result of five identity checks deemed discriminatory by the court of appeal of Paris. It is after this that the State representative justified the action controls in a memo: they were possible to the extent that they were part of investigations into “the laws of foreigners.” “The fact that, at the time of their mission the day, police officers would have controlled that people of foreign appearance may yet demonstrate that monitoring would not be realized in conditions that respect the individual freedoms and the principle of equality. Indeed, the police were responsible for investigating including the Aliens legislation, “it said. Matignon early October, had asked to retry the five cases. A decision that was cringe, the State being accused of siding with the police side.

racial profiling which nevertheless go against the French and international law, as underlined Le Monde , which does not allow identity checks that insofar as there would be suspicious behavior.