Stating that the roots of police violence in France should be sought in the colonial history of the country, Freschi said, "It is important to understand that the function of the French police, especially during the colonial period, was not merely peacekeeping or public order against Muslims and colonized individuals. The function of the police during the colonial period was to subdue the Muslim indigenous population, albeit unofficially, to the Republican administration. Their idea was 'Let them not voice their legitimate grievances through our policies and question the French rule in their own territory.' It is clear that today the modern police have taken over this function in a different context."
Freschi recalled that the Paris City Council established a special police unit called the North African Brigade (BNA) in 1923 to control the North Africans in Paris.
"The official task of this unit was to monitor the Arabs in France. Of course this office was closed after colonization but the police officers were still there so the idea was not lost," he added.
Freschi noted that the French state used the police agency as a tool to protect the Republican values and to prevent the political participation of Muslims and ethnic minorities.
"The main task of the police in France is still to subjugate us to the Republican administration, to ensure that we are dehumanized and unable to voice our political grievances. To prevent our political participation, just as they tried to do during the decolonization period. What I meant by political participation at that time was to make sure that no one would question it, that no one would defend independence or support the struggle for independence. Now they want to make sure we're not trying to fight for our legitimate rights," he said.