The Council of Europe -- the continent’s leading human rights watchdog -- Friday criticized what it described as the French police’s “excessive use of force” during demonstrations against an unpopular pension reform.

“Violent incidents have occurred, including some that have targeted the forces of law and order,” its commissioner for human rights Dunja Mijatovic said.

“But the sporadic acts of violence of some protesters or other reprehensible acts committed by other persons during a protest cannot justify excessive use of force by agents of the state. These acts are also not enough to deprive peaceful protesters of their right to freedom of assembly,” she said.