Civil unrest is raging in Paris and surrounding areas after authorities shot dead a 17-year-old earlier this week.
The unrest responds to the killing of Nahel M.
On Tuesday (June 27), AP News reported that authorities had killed a 17-year-old identified as Nahel M.Algerian descent.
The incident – which happened on the outskirts of Nanterre, France – happened after Nahel tried to drive away while stopping in traffic. witness video then surfaced and sparked further outrage over the teenager’s death, as many believed the authorities had unnecessarily escalated the traffic stoppage.
Amid the protests, many vehicles and buildings were burned as people called for police reform. On Thursday night alone, ABC News reported that 875 people had been arrested and 3,880 fires had been started.
We should note that Prosecutor Nanterre Pascal Prache announced that the officer who killed Nahel was being investigated for “voluntary murder” for “failing to meet the conditions for the lawful use of a weapon.”
French President Emmanuel Macron condemns Paris riots: ‘Nothing justifies violence’
Faced with the ongoing situation, the President of France Emmanuel Macron condemned the protests in a press conference. Instead, he declared, “This should be a moment of reflection and respect.”
“There is an unacceptable act of materializing the death of a teenager, which we all regret. This should be a moment of reflection and respect. In light of this incident, I firmly condemn those who take advantage of this situation and this moment to try to create chaos and target our institutions… I strongly condemn, we all Thus, pure and irrational violence, without this legitimacy.”
Soon after, Emmanuel Macron said that “social media platforms play an important role” in “organizing” and “imitating violence” among young people.
In addition, he pointed out that “a third of those arrested [the night before] young, sometimes very young.” As a result, Macron said “it is the responsibility of parents to keep their children at home” during this period.
For his advice to parents, check out the video of a father keeping his child safe below.
#France Riot #FranceProtest 🇫🇷
🔴A father decided to pick up and bring home his young son who was participating in the riot.
875 people were arrested last night in #Paris & Paris region only, a multiplier by 6 for 24 hours. #Nael #emeutes #etatdurgence #JusticePourNael pic.twitter.com/ifRTUV0Lzh— 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐀 | (@tweetforAnna) June 30, 2023
Anticipating more riots on Friday night, Macron deployed 45,000 officers, according to BBC News.
