Youths clash with French police, loot stores in 4th day of riots triggered by fatal police shooting

French Youth Clash with Police and Loot Stores in Fourth Day of Riots Triggered by Fatal Police Shooting

In a continuation of the ongoing violence sparked by the tragic police shooting of a teenager, young rioters engaged in clashes with law enforcement and carried out looting sprees across France on Friday. This escalation places further pressure on President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously called on parents to keep their children off the streets and blamed social media for exacerbating the unrest.

Despite repeated appeals from the government to maintain calm and the implementation of stricter policing measures after consecutive nights of unrest, brazen acts of violence occurred during daylight hours on Friday. An Apple store was looted in the city of Strasbourg, with police responding by using tear gas. Additionally, a fast-food outlet’s windows were smashed in a shopping mall near Paris, where officers also repelled individuals attempting to break into a closed store, as confirmed by authorities.

Marseille, a southern port city initially unaffected by the violence that initially erupted in the Paris region, experienced its second consecutive night of unrest. Even before nightfall, young people threw projectiles, set fires, and looted shops, resulting in at least 50 arrests. On Friday evening, looters managed to break into a gun shop in Marseille and steal weapons. Later, the police apprehended a man with a hunting rifle. During the preceding night, two off-duty officers were seriously injured, one of whom was stabbed, when they were attacked by around 20 individuals, according to police reports.

In Lyon, authorities reported further violence in the suburbs, where rioters set fires and threw objects at the police. The city center also witnessed unrest, including attempted looting of shops, following an unauthorized protest against police violence that attracted approximately 1,300 people on Friday evening. Police made 21 arrests.

The violence has not been limited to mainland France, as French territories overseas have also experienced eruptions. In French Guiana, a 54-year-old individual was killed by a stray bullet on Thursday night when rioters fired at police in the capital city of Cayenne. Officials stated that on the small Indian Ocean island of Reunion, protesters have set fire to garbage bins, thrown projectiles at police, and caused damage to vehicles and buildings. To maintain security, 150 officers will be deployed throughout the weekend.

In the face of an escalating crisis that has yet to be quelled by numerous arrests and a substantial police presence, President Macron has refrained from declaring a state of emergency, which was previously utilized in similar situations in 2005. Instead, his government has intensified its law enforcement response. The already bolstered police forces were reinforced by an additional 5,000 officers on Friday night, bringing the total number to 45,000, according to the interior minister. Some officers were called back from their vacations. The minister, Gerald Darmanin, disclosed that on Thursday alone, the police made 917 arrests and highlighted the young age of the detainees, averaging 17 years old. He further noted that over 300 police officers and firefighters have been injured.

Darmanin also issued a nationwide nighttime shutdown of all public buses and trams, which had been targeted during three consecutive nights of urban unrest. Additionally, he ordered social media platforms to cease allowing themselves to be utilized as channels for inciting violence, warning that authorities would pursue individuals who employ these platforms to commit violent acts. The minister expressed hope that the social networks would cooperate by providing information regarding the identities of those inciting violence, emphasizing that necessary action would be taken if they failed to comply with the law.

President Macron also focused on social media platforms that have disseminated dramatic images of burning cars, buildings, and other violent acts. He claimed that these platforms were playing a significant role in fueling the violence, specifically singling out Snapchat and TikTok, which he asserted were being exploited to organize unrest and perpetuate copycat violence. Macron stated that his government would collaborate with technology companies to establish procedures for the removal of sensitive content and called for a sense of responsibility from these platforms.

Responding to the situation, a spokesperson for Snapchat, Rachel Racusen, announced that the company had intensified its content moderation efforts since Tuesday to detect and address content related to the riots in France. Racusen emphasized Snapchat’s zero-tolerance policy for content promoting or inciting hatred or violent behavior.

The fatal shooting of the 17-year-old, identified only by his first name Nahel, was captured on video, shocking the nation and exacerbating long-standing tensions between police and young people residing in housing projects and disadvantaged neighborhoods.

President Macron highlighted that a significant portion of those arrested on Thursday night were young individuals, some very young, and emphasized that it is the responsibility of parents to keep their children at home.

Since the incident in which the police officer shot and killed the teenager in Nanterre, a northwestern suburb of Paris, rioters have erected barricades, set fires, and launched fireworks at the police, who responded with tear gas, water cannons, and stun grenades.

The current wave of protests bears resemblance to the three weeks of riots that took place in 2005 following the deaths of 15-year-old Bouna Traoré and 17-year-old Zyed Benna, who were electrocuted while evading the police in a power substation in Clichy-sous-Bois.

As preparations for the summer Olympic Games in Paris and other French cities continue, the unrest serves as a concerning backdrop. The Paris 2024 organizing committee stated that it is closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, calls for change in disadvantaged neighborhoods are intensifying, according to Nanterre Mayor Patrick Jarry.

The police officer involved in the shooting has been preliminarily charged with voluntary homicide, indicating that investigating magistrates suspect wrongdoing but require further investigation before bringing the case to trial. The officer’s lawyer expressed remorse and described his client as “devastated,” asserting that the officer acted based on what he believed was necessary at the time.

Nahel’s mother, identified as Mounia M., expressed anger towards the officer who took her only child’s life but did not hold the entire police force responsible. She accused the officer of targeting her son due to his appearance and stated that justice should be firm.

The burial of Nahel is scheduled for Saturday, with Nanterre Mayor Patrick Jarry highlighting the need for changes in disadvantaged neighborhoods in France.

Although deadly use of firearms is less frequent in France compared to the United States, there were 13 fatal shootings by French police last year involving individuals who failed to comply with traffic stops. This year, three individuals, including Nahel, have died in similar circumstances. These incidents have sparked demands for increased accountability in France, reminiscent of the racial justice protests that followed George Floyd’s killing by police in Minnesota.

France has traditionally regarded race as a taboo topic, adhering to a doctrine of colorblind universalism. However, in the wake of Nahel’s killing, anti-racism activists in France have revived criticisms of police behavior in general.

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More about Youths clashes

• France: Riots Erupt Following Fatal Police Shooting
• President Macron Appeals for Calm Amidst Riots
• Social Media’s Role in Fueling Unrest
• Stricter Measures Implemented by French Government
• Background on 2005 Riots in France