FRANCE: Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, criticized the police’s use of force in the shooting of a 17-year-old in Paris. He called the incident “inexcusable” and urged calm during the nocturnal disturbances. The incident occurred in Nanterre, a Paris neighbourhood where the victim lived.
At least 31 individuals were detained in nocturnal disturbances that took place primarily in Nanterre, a Paris suburb where the victim resided. Youths set cars on fire and fired fireworks at police, who used tear gas to disperse the crowd. The interior ministry issued an appeal for calm.
Macron emphasized that the killing of an adolescent is unexplainable and inexcusable. Nothing justifies the killing of a young guy, he stated before urging the legal system to carry out its duties.
A video shows two police officers shooting a Mercedes AMG driver, who later passed away from injuries. Paris Saint-Germain football player Kylian Mbappe tweeted, “I’m hurting for my France.”
An acquaintance of the family and neighbour of the victim indicated that he was from an Algerian household and that his first name was Nahel. The victim’s mother was seen urging a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday in a video posted to TikTok. She said, “Come on, everyone, we’re going to stage a revolt for my son.”
According to a UK-based media reports, there were three similar killings in 2021 and two in 2020, which demonstrates that a significant number of victims since 2017 have been Black or of Arab descent.
France’s human rights ombudsman is launching a sixth investigation into similar occurrences in 2022 and 2023.
Macron’s direct comments on police have been met with criticism due to voters’ concerns about security. Critics argue he is lenient towards drug traffickers and minor offenders while implementing policies to reduce urban crime. Rights groups accuse law enforcement organizations of institutional racism, but Macron has refuted this.
The interior ministry announced 2,000 police mobilized in the Paris region due to overnight violence. The city’s streets were peaceful on Wednesday morning.
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