France will ban police use of chokeholds

CNN — After a week of large demonstrations against racism and police brutality, at home and abroad, the French government announced Monday that police will no longer be able to use chokeholds when arresting people. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the use of chokeholds – which he described as applying pressure on an individual’s neck or throat while holding them on the ground – was a “dangerous method” and will no longer be taught in police training. “I hear the criticism, I hear a powerful cry against hatred,” said Castaner, referring to large Black Lives Matter protests that took place in several major French cities last week. He added “racism has no place in our society, not in our Republic.” While motivated by the outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the French protesters also demanded justice for Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black man who died in police custody after fleeing an identity check outside Paris four years ago. But Traoré’s family has already rejected an offer to meet with Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet, according to the family’s campaign group ‘Truth for Adama.’ “Our lawyer was contacted today by the office of Mrs. Nicole Belloubet, Minister of Justice… He was asked to organize a meeting between and the family of Adama Traoré,” the group said in a press release on Twitter Monday.