It’s been nearly a year since the start of the gilets jaunes or yellow vest movement and when I think back on the moments that will forever remain ingrained in my mind, it’s those of intense violence. Violence not only at the hands of the anarchists who latched on to the social demonstrations but violence against protestors at the hands of the police. Police brutality and excessive use of force isn’t only a topic of great controversy and discussion in the United States, it’s also an issue of great concern in France. But suspicion among citizens with regard to the police (and the state at large) didn’t begin with the yellow vest movement. Joining me to talk about this issue is Aida Alami, a journalist based between Morocco and France who covers social justice, immigration, religion and politics for the New York Times, and is at work on a documentary on anti racist activists and state violence.

Mentioned in this episode:

Aida Alami: https://twitter.com/aidaalami

Amal Bentounsi: https://www.clique.tv/clique-talk-amal-bentounsi/

Rokhaya Diallo (antiracist activist): https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-french-authors-puncturing-the-myth-of-french-women-dont-get-fat

Aida's reporting on the headscarf: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/01/world/europe/maryam-pougetoux-islam-france.html

Police brutality in France: https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2019/09/how-french-police-brutality-harming-country-s-international-image

French riots after death of 2 teens: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/22/nothings-changed-10-years-after-french-riots-banlieues-remain-in-crisis

Paris Massacre 1961: What happened on October 17: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/how-to-forget-a-massacre-what-happened-in-paris-on-october-17-1961/

Le Code Noir (black code): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Noir

Macron admits torture during Algerian War: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/13/france-state-responsible-for-1957-death-of-dissident-maurice-audin-in-algeria-says-macron

"Ici on noie les Algériens" documentary: https://www.ina.fr/video/CPD13001554