Unrest Engulfs France: Four-day protest ignites nationwide. Here is all you need to know
3 min read 01 Jul 2023, 08:00 AM ISTProtests erupt in France after police shoot and kill a 17-year-old teenager. Demonstrators set cars on fire and clash with police. UN urges France to address deep police racism. Over 1,100 arrests have been made since the protests began. French government denies accusations of racism.
PremiumA surge of protests has swept across France following the shooting of a 17-year-old teenager Nahel M. by police on Tuesday in Nanterre, a working-class town on the western outskirts of Paris.
The situation escalated as protesters set cars on fire, erected street barricades, and launched projectiles at the police. Videos circulating on social media depicted several fires occurring nationwide, including at a bus depot in a suburb north of Paris and a tram in Lyon.
The incident has resulted in the imposition of demonstration bans in certain cities, travel advisories, and reignited discussions on the issue of over-policing in marginalized communities.
In response to the unrest, French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated a crisis response, convening an emergency meeting with ministers as he strives to bridge divisions and foster unity in his second term.
Disturbing footage of the incident, captured by a bystander, revealed two officers positioned near the driver's side of the car. Despite no apparent immediate threat, one of the officers fired his weapon at the driver, resulting in the teenager's untimely death.
The police officer is under investigation for committing voluntary homicide and has been placed in preliminary detention due to the illegal use of his weapon.
France's Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, has announced that a total of 45,000 police and gendarme officers will be strategically deployed across the country on Friday evening. This significant deployment comes as France prepares for the possibility of further street violence. In an interview with TF1 television, Minister Darmanin highlighted the government's proactive approach to maintaining order and ensuring public safety amidst the ongoing unrest.
In response to the ongoing violence occurring across France and its overseas territories, French officials have initiated a crackdown.
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday about Canada's devastating wildfires, protests in France over the police shooting of a 17-year-old boy and their support for Ukraine, the prime minister's office said.
United Nations urged France to address deep police racism. "France must address deep issues of racist discrimination in its police. We are concerned by the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by police in France... this is a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement," UN human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told a media briefing in Geneva.
However, the French government rejected UN accusations of racism among its police which came after a 17-year-old was killed by police. "Any accusation of racism or systemic discrimination in the police force in France is totally unfounded," the foreign ministry said.
Till now, looters have ransacked dozens of shops and torched some 2,000 vehicles since the riots started.
France's Interior Minister, Gerald Darmanin, announced in the early hours of Saturday that a total of 270 individuals were apprehended during Friday night's unrest, pushing the overall number of arrests to over 1,100 since the beginning of the protests.
Among the recent arrests, 80 individuals were detained in Marseille, the country's second-largest city and home to a significant population of North African descent. The government's continued efforts to maintain law and order have resulted in a significant number of arrests across the country in response to the ongoing wave of protests.
(With inputs from agencies)
