French activists fear that a proposed new security law will deprive them of a potent weapon against abuse - cellphone videos of police activity - threatening their efforts to document possible cases of police brutality, especially in impoverished immigrant neighbourhoods.

French President Emmanuel Macron's government is pushing a new security bill that makes it illegal to publish images of cops with intent to cause them harm, amid other measures. Critics fear the new law could hurt press freedoms and make it more difficult for citizens to report on police brutality.