Police car set on fire at ‘anti-police hatred’ protest in Paris

A police car was set on fire during an “anti-cop hatred” demonstration in Paris on Wednesday.

Huge flames could be seen engulfing the car, which was parked on the Quai de Valmy, near Republique Square.

Around 15 people broke the car windows, forcing out the two officers inside, the Paris Police Prefecture told CNN.

“The group of people then threw Molotov cocktails on the rear windshield,” a police spokesperson said.

The officers escaped with minor injuries.

The attack came as national police union Alliance demonstrated against “the feeling of distrust relayed everyday against tired police.”

“We are asking for this anti-cops hatred to stop, including physical violence and propaganda campaigns aiming to discredit the police officers’ job,” said Stanislas Gaudon, Alliance’s Deputy General Administrative Secretary.

“There needs to be extremely strict sanctions for demonstrators, or troublemakers, or extremist groups who pick on the police forces which each time becomes more and more violent.”

Today’s anti-police hatred demonstration follows clashes in recent months between officers and protesters at anti-labor reform rallies.

President Francois Hollande has vowed to push through the reforms, which include firms being given greater powers to negotiate weekly working hours and pay.

On Tuesday, police in central Paris fired tear gas at protesters during a day of national protest against the labor reforms.

An Odexa poll published in the daily newspaper Le Parisien says that 82% of French people have a positive opinion of the police force.