Fifth Night of Rioting in France Subsides Amidst Teen’s Police Killing

In France, violent clashes between young rioters and the police persisted into the early hours of Sunday, with a mayor’s home targeted by a burning car. However, compared to previous nights, the overall level of violence appeared to be decreasing.

As a result of a massive security deployment to quell the social unrest, a total of 719 arrests were made nationwide by early Sunday. This crisis poses a significant challenge to President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership and highlights the deep-rooted discontent in low-income neighborhoods due to discrimination and limited opportunities.

In other news, a Muslim ceremony was held on Saturday in Nanterre, a Paris suburb, to lay to rest the 17-year-old whose death sparked the anger. Identified publicly as Nahel, emotions surrounding his loss remain raw in the community.

As night fell on Saturday, a small crowd gathered on the Champs-Elysees to protest Nahel’s death and police violence. However, they were met with a large number of officers equipped with batons and shields protecting the avenue and its boutiques. In another neighborhood in northern Paris, protesters set barricades on fire and ignited firecrackers, while the police responded with tear gas and stun grenades.

During the night, a burning car crashed into the home of the mayor of l’Hay-les-Roses, a Paris suburb. Although several schools, police stations, town halls, and stores have been targeted by fires or vandalism in recent days, such a personal attack on a mayor’s home is unusual. The mayor, Vincent Jeanbrun, stated that his wife and one of his children were injured in the attack, and he called for the government to impose a state of emergency.

Skirmishes also occurred in Marseille, but they were reported to be less intense than the previous night. The Interior Ministry confirmed the arrest of 55 people there, thanks to an increased police presence.

The number of nationwide arrests was lower compared to the previous night, which Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin attributed to the resolute action of the security forces.

Since Nahel’s death, more than 3,000 people have been detained. While some frightened residents and shop owners affected by the unrest have welcomed the massive police deployment, others perceive police behavior as the root cause of France’s current crisis.

The ongoing violence has had repercussions on Macron’s diplomatic engagements, leading to the postponement of his planned state visit to Germany, which would have been the first by a French president in 23 years.

Hundreds of police officers and firefighters have been injured in the violence, while the number of injured protesters remains undisclosed. In French Guiana, an overseas territory, a 54-year-old person died after being hit by a stray bullet.

France’s Justice Minister, Eric Dupond-Moretti, issued a warning on Saturday, stating that young people sharing calls for violence on social media platforms such as Snapchat could face prosecution. Macron has attributed the fueling of violence to social media.

The timing of the violence is significant as it coincides with preparations for the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris and other French cities. Organizers of the Games are closely monitoring the situation.

During Nahel’s funeral procession, hundreds of mourners lined the road leading to the cemetery in Nanterre, paying tribute to the teenager. His mother, dressed in white, walked through the cemetery amid applause. Many of the mourners were young individuals of Arab or Black descent, reflecting on the fact that Nahel could have been one of them.

Nahel’s mother expressed her anger toward the officer who shot her son at the traffic stop but stated that her anger is not directed towards the police in general.

Video footage of the incident shows two officers at the car’s window, with one pointing a gun at the driver. As the teenager began to drive forward, the officer fired a single shot through the windshield. The officer responsible for Nahel’s death has been charged with voluntary homicide.

Last year, thirteen individuals were fatally shot by French police for not complying with traffic stops, and three have been killed this year, leading to calls for greater accountability. France also witnessed protests against police violence and racial injustice following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minnesota.

The reaction to Nahel’s killing serves as a poignant reminder of the persistent issues of poverty, discrimination, and limited job prospects in neighborhoods across France, where many residents trace their roots to former French colonies, as is the case with Nahel’s upbringing.

In 2005, France experienced weeks of riots following the deaths of two teenagers who were electrocuted in a power substation while fleeing from the police in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois. This week, Clichy has once again become a site of violence.

“Nahel’s story is the spark that ignited the flame. Desperate young people were waiting for this moment. We lack housing and jobs, and even when we have jobs, our wages are too low,” said Samba Seck, a 39-year-old transportation worker in Clichy.

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More about unrest

• France’s Worst Social Unrest in Years
• France Arrests 719 as Riots Over Police Killing Continue
• France Grapples with Social Unrest and Deep-Rooted Discontent
• Mayor’s Home Targeted in Escalating Violence in France
• France Postpones President’s State Visit to Germany
• Riots in France Raise Concerns Ahead of Summer Olympics
• Persistent Issues of Poverty and Discrimination in French Neighborhoods
• French Minister Warns of Prosecution for Calls of Violence on Social Media
• France’s History of Unrest and Previous Riots
• Community Pays Tribute to Teenager at Funeral Procession