At Least 875 Arrested as France Rocked by Third Night of Fiery Protests over Fatal Police Shooting of Teen | Farsnews Agency
Hundreds of arrests have been made in France as the country experiences a third consecutive night of protests following the fatal police shooting of a teenager. French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, describing it as an “unacceptable situation.” The protests have resulted in the torching of cars, looting of shops, and damage to public buildings. The unrest highlights long-standing grievances regarding policing and racial profiling in France’s low-income and multiethnic suburbs.
A total of 875 people were arrested overnight, and the Interior Ministry reported 249 injuries among police and gendarmes. In response to the violence, around 40,000 police and gendarmes, along with elite units, were deployed in several cities. Despite the security measures, there were reports of violence and damage in various areas, including the pillaging of shops and targeting of public buildings.
The shooting of the 17-year-old driver, identified only by his first name, Nahel, has triggered successive nights of protests. The officer responsible for the shooting has been detained and charged with voluntary manslaughter. Nahel’s mother expressed her blame for the officer but not for the entire police force. The protests have spread to different cities, including Marseille and Seine-Saint-Denis, with reports of vandalism and clashes with the police.
The French government is keen to prevent a repeat of the 2005 urban riots and has called for calm. President Macron has urged an end to the violence, emphasizing that it is unjustifiable. The protests have also attracted international attention, with the UN human rights office calling for serious action to address issues of racism and discrimination in law enforcement. The French Foreign Ministry, however, rejected allegations of racism within the police force. A funeral for Nahel is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
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