Groups launch first class-action lawsuit against France for systemic racial discrimination by police in ID checks

PARIS (AP) — Six nongovernmental organizations have opened the first class-action lawsuit against France for alleged systemic discrimination by police carrying out identity checks. The organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, contend that French police use racial profiling in checks, targeting people who are Black or of Arab descent. The NGOs aren’t demanding monetary damages, and instead seek deep reforms to ensure that racial profiling does not determine who gets stopped by police.  They say ‘systemic’ changes are needed in response to a ‘systemic’ problem. Letters officially notifying France’s prime minister and interior and justice ministers were being delivered Wednesday.