Conservative French presidential candidate Francois Fillon wants to prosecute 16 and 17-year-olds as adults, arguing it would prevent the kind of unrest that has rocked low-income Paris suburbs following an alleged police rape.
With his campaign struggling under corruption allegations, Fillon sought to burnish his tough-on-security image today with proposals likely to please far-right voters.
He complained that many minors were involved in the recent suburban unrest, but said they are "virtually untouchable because the law protects them more than their victims."
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Fillon did not mention the incident that prompted the disturbances: an alleged rape of a young black man by police in the Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.
Protests against police violence erupted in other towns, and crowds gathered in Paris today to call for justice for the man.
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