Why are French police so violent? Their job is to protect the state, not the people

Officers are instruments of state whose job is to repress, rather than manage, public dissent Familiar images of teargas clouds drifting across Paris squares, police baton charges against masked protesters and terrified teenagers floored – and worse – by stun grenades have once again focused the world’s attention on France’s policing methods.

While most of its western European neighbours generally favour police tactics…