France in chaos: What sparked unprecedented violence and over 600 arrests?
France has been thrown into turmoil following the police-involved shooting of a 17-year-old boy, resulting in over 600 arrests amid widespread protests and violence.
Various cities, including Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Grenoble, Annecy, Toulouse, and Saint-Etienne, have witnessed severe unrest, with Euronews documenting extensive damage to public properties, looting, and fires.
French President Emmanuel Macron, criticized for attending an Elton John concert amidst the crisis, expressed his view that the violence was indefensible. The uproar began following the fatal shooting of Nahel M by a police officer during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris. Prosecutors have since charged the officer with homicide, deeming the use of the firearm entirely unwarranted.
Nationwide unrest in France following 17-year-old’s death at hands of police. Photo courtesy of Hubert de Thé from Pixabay.
The deceased teenager’s mother reportedly expressed that her anger was directed not at the entire police force, but the individual officer responsible for Nahel’s death. She inferred the officer’s bias against her son due to his appearance.
Despite efforts by the French authorities to deploy 40,000 police and riot officers, including the elite Raid squad, they have struggled to restore order. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin disclosed via Twitter that police have arrested over 650 people. He praised the resilience of the police, gendarmes, and firefighters in confronting the exceptional violence.
The clashes between police and demonstrators led to injuries to more than 200 officers. Paris businesses have suffered from vandalism and looting, while in the Drancy suburb, a shopping centre was forcefully entered, looted, and later set on fire by rioters.
Public buildings haven’t been spared either, with incidents like Molotov cocktails thrown at a police office in Pau and stone-pelting at a Lille town hall. In Nanterre, Nahel’s home city, the Pablo Picasso estate endured a third night of violent encounters, with burnt cars, firework mortars, and homemade grenades reported.