France: WPF Denounces Detention of Patricia Huchot-Boissier and Colleague During Olympic Games Protest
Two photojournalists held in custody for ten hours before being released without charge
Location: France, Paris
Date: July 27, 2024
Women Press Freedom is deeply alarmed by the actions of French police toward photojournalists covering an environmental protest against the Paris Olympic Games. Despite clearly identifying themselves as members of the press, photojournalists Patricia Huchot-Boissier and Arnaud Cesar Villette were detained for nearly ten hours and subjected to invasive measures, including the compulsory submission of DNA samples. These disproportionate and potentially unlawful actions raise serious concerns about the state of press freedom in France. Disturbingly, this incident is not an isolated case; Women Press Freedom has documented a troubling pattern of French law enforcement targeting journalists, particularly during protests. The unjust detentions of Huchot-Boissier and Villette indicates a dangerous trend where journalists are increasingly treated as adversaries while attempting to report on public dissent. Such actions not only violate the rights of the individual journalists involved but also discourage the media from covering sensitive issues, especially those involving government policies and public opposition. While we welcome the dropping of charges against Huchot-Boissier and Villette, they should never have had to endure this ordeal. We urge the French government to thoroughly investigate this incident and take immediate steps to prevent future occurrences.
On July 27, 2024, in Saint-Denis, Paris, Patricia Huchot-Boissier and Arnaud Cesar Villette were documenting a protest organized by the activist group "Saccage 2024," which opposes the environmental impact and repressive measures associated with the Paris Olympic Games.
Around 9:00 AM, the journalists were subjected to identity checks by approximately 15 police officers. Despite presenting her Olympic press accreditation and journalist union card, Huchot-Boissier was met with skepticism from the officers.
“One of the police officers barely looked at them, telling me that “they could be fakes”, so he didn’t take them into account,” Huchot-Boissier tells Women Press Freedom.
The situation escalated when police discovered anti-Olympics leaflets in the bag of an activist accompanying the journalists.
“I heard him say “they have leaflets too,” explains Huchot-Boissier. “I told them no, Arnaud César Vilette and I don’t have any leaflets, as we are photo reporters.”
Ignoring their clarifications that they were journalists, the police told Huchot-Boissier and Villette they were going to be detained on allegations of participating in an illegal demonstration with the intent to commit vandalism.
The journalists’ equipment was confiscated, their bags were searched, and they were subjected to aggressive interrogation. “It was unbearable,” recalls Huchot-Boissier.
During the ordeal, Villette suffered a panic attack. Officers reacted to this by pinning him to a vehicle, handcuffing him, and forcibly placing him in a police van.
At the Saint-Denis police station, both journalists were locked in a cell for the remainder of the day and were compelled to provide DNA and fingerprint samples—actions that seem grossly disproportionate given the circumstances.
“They stripped me of my belt, bra and laces, locked me in a dirty 4x2 cell, then they measured me, took portrait photos, fingerprints and DNA,” Huchot-Boissier recounts. “I was presumed guilty.”
After nearly ten hours in custody, they were finally released, and all proceedings against them were dismissed.
“It exhausted me,” Huchot-Boissier shared after the ordeal. “So much paranoia, so much suspicion on the part of these police forces, while I was just doing my job, as I do every day.”
Villette echoed her sentiments, stating, "We were detained for almost ten hours for absolutely no reason at all."
Concerningly, Women Press Freedom has documented a disturbing pattern of French law enforcement violations against journalists covering demonstrations in the last year. In June, a journalist from the independent French news outlet Blast was detained in Paris while reporting on a protest outside the arms company Exxelia. Despite presenting press credentials, she was arrested on accusations of intending to cause damage and vandalism. Her detention was extended after she refused to provide her phone passcode to protect her confidential sources. After over 32 hours in custody, she was released, and all charges were dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
Other recent cases include freelance journalist Louise Bihan, who was harassed by police while covering an ecological demonstration in Lille, and France 3 Occitanie journalist Harmonie Pacione, who was obstructed from reporting on protests against the A69 motorway construction. Covering the same protest, her colleague Miryam Brisse was thrown to the ground by a gendarme officer. Last year, journalist Harmony Pondy-Nyaga was forcibly removed by police while filming an environmental protest in Paris.
Women Press Freedom unequivocally condemns the arbitrary detention and harsh treatment of Huchot-Boissier and Villette. French authorities must uphold the rights of journalists and ensure that law enforcement agencies are trained to respect press freedom. The ability of journalists to report freely and without fear of retribution is a cornerstone of democracy. We call on the French government to take a firm stance in defending press freedom by conducting a thorough investigation into this incident, and implementing stringent measures to prevent future violations.
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