They might be lampooned as a bunch of truncheon-happy meatheads by leftwing street demonstrators, but that doesn’t mean French riot police don’t appreciate a nice glass of Burgundy with their lunch.
The notorious Compagnies Republicaines de Securite (CRS) are outraged at an official decree stating they can no longer drink wine or beer with their meals.
Until now, a civilized tipple was part of the daily lunch menu of the controversial force whose trademark black body armor and riot shields are a regular feature on French streets.
A glass of wine, beer or cider — but not spirits — was always permitted with lunch, including while on duty. Even packed lunches provided out of riot vans while they were patrolling demonstrations came with a can of beer or glass of wine.
HIGH-SCHOOL PROTEST
However, in October last year, authorities were annoyed when pictures published on the Web site Backchich showed uniformed riot police swigging beer from cans on the sidelines of a sixth-formers’ street--protest against pension reforms in Perreux-sur-Marne, north of Paris. The Web site reported that having told locals it was too dangerous to go outside during the high-school demonstration, uniformed officers stopped for a beer on a street corner in full view of the public.
Police unions expressed their fury at the new decree. Paul Le Guennec, of the biggest riot police union, Unite Police SGP-FO, said the French public had not seemed shocked at the notion of a CRS officer drinking at lunch.
WATER OR WINE
“Does the fact that having a glass of wine while eating prevent any kind of worker from carrying out their job? I don’t think the chief of police drinks water when he’s having a meal,” he told the paper Le JDD.
The union argued that the CRS did not have a higher incidence of alcohol problems than the rest of society, saying a small drink with lunch was in line with French labor law.
However, unions warned that the row over lunchtime drinking should not be allowed to detract from their protests over cuts to the 14,000-strong force.
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