France’s recently installed interior minister dismissed on Tuesday the term “police violence” and told lawmakers the police exercise “legitimate violence”.

“When I hear the term ‘police violence’, personally I choke,” said Gérard Darmanin, whose predecessor lost his job three weeks ago after becoming embroiled in a controversy over police use of a restraint method known as a chokehold.

Deaths in custody of two men of African origin in separate incidents sparked widespread fury and led Darmanin’s predecessor Christophe Castaner to ban police use of the chokehold.