Thirteen people who claim they have been targeted by French police for identity checks, often with humiliating public pat-downs, because they're black or of Arab descent went to court today to seek reparations and a change in police guidelines.
Their case is billed as a first of its kind in France.
The plaintiffs who appeared in the Paris courtroom for today's one-day trial range from students to delivery personnel. One is an athlete. None has a police record, but all claim they are subjected to ID checks because of the way they look.
A study conducted in Paris by the Open Society Justice Initiative with France's National Centre for Scientific Research has shown that blacks have six times more chance of police checks than whites. Those of Arab origin face an eight times more chance of being stopped for frisking.
The French legal action is backed by the Open Society Justice Initiative, the Union of French Lawyers and the Stop Racial Profiling group, which say the case is unprecedented in France.
French law allows for widespread police checks on people deemed suspicious, but opponents say it is too vague and gives police too much discretion.
Discrimination against minorities in France became a national issue after fiery riots in 2005 that hopscotched through suburban housing projects, where a majority of residents or their families come from former French colonies in Africa. The rioting revealed a simmering anger by suburban minorities isolated from mainstream life.
It served as a wake-up call to the government, which pledged to better integrate minorities and renovate run-down projects. But anti-racism groups contend that the programmes lacked ambition and have failed to guarantee equality for non-white citizens.
Plaintiffs are seeking USD 13,000 each in this case, in which a verdict is expected on October 2.
State prosecutor Sylvie Kachaner argued that the controls in each case were covered by the law and that police need to do their jobs to ensure security.
