A video showing suicide calls to the police after the
latest Yellow Vest protests has caused indignation in France.
The prosecutor's office opened an investigation on Sunday.
Journalist Lucas Burel published a video during Saturday's protests
in Paris that featured the call, "Kill yourselves." Burel wrote that
some protesters had called this out to the police.
Numerous French politicians condemned the incident. Interior Minister
Christophe Castaner spoke of a "shame," and Nice's Mayor Christian
Estrosi called the incident "disgusting."
"This hatred of the police is ideological and unfortunately
systematic in the ranks of anarchists," said the right-wing populist
Marine Le Pen.
France is currently alarmed by an extremely high number of suicides
in the ranks of the police.
Castaner had recently announced better psychological care for
officers.
Journalists have also complained that reporters were arrested during
the demonstrations on Saturday.
"Two independent journalists were arrested and several others
targeted by hard rubber bullets, although they were clearly
identified as press," Reporters Without Borders said.
"If journalists are arrested - which can happen - they will of course
not be arrested in their capacity as journalists, but because of the
crimes committed," Castaner told French news agency AFP.
The Yellow Vest demonstrations on Saturday saw rioting again, with
vehicles being set alight. The movement has been demonstrating
against the reform policies of President Emmanuel Macron since
mid-November.
A police officer looks on from behind a riot shield during an anti-government demonstration called by the ,yellow vests.,