It is supposedly held by a dispirited mix of Malian troops, gendarmes, national guard and police.
The gendarmes, officially banned from holding demonstrations, say government policies have stacked the justice system against them.
At a similar nationwide demonstration last month only former gendarmes and the partners of serving officers took part.
Most soldiers and gendarmes buzz around town on motor scooters more suited to running errands than fighting a war.
Gendarmes carry out police functions but are part of the ministry of defence.
But there are already 146, 000 national police answerable to the interior ministry, and 101, 000 gendarmes, controlled by the defence ministry.
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Apparently, once the gendarmes showed, the parents left the field.
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Gendarmes in the southwestern town of Samatan lowered their flag to half mast in a symbolic protest at pay, under-resourcing and what they see as inadequate support from the courts.
The gendarmes drove about 50 vehicles with sirens blaring to their regional headquarters, where they were planning to have a "collective medical check-up" with the aim of being diagnosed with depression.
But the Vatican Gendarmes insist that the conditions under which Gabriele will be held fully respect the Geneva Convention on torture and "conform to the detention standards applicable to other countries in analogous circumstances".
Police and gendarmes say the law and order record of Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin's government has failed to address poor pay and funding while at the same time making it harder to secure convictions.
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