France announced the deployment of thousands of police officers following several days of violent rioting. The civil unrest began after French police shot and killed a 17-year-old during a traffic stop. The rioting shows no sign of being quelled so far.
Video of the death of the young man, named only as Nahel M., was released this week, sparking the violence. He was allegedly of Moroccan and Algerian descent.
The teenager allegedly refused to stop his Mercedes after being seen driving in a bus lane. After attempting to flee, an officer fired through the vehicle’s window, killing the youth.
The officer said through his attorney that he attempted to fire into the deceased minor’s leg but was jolted during the chase, leading to the fatal shot.
Following the start of the riots, more than 1,100 people have been arrested through the end of Friday. More than 100 officers have been injured during the disorder so far.
Several incidents raised particular concerns. In the southern city of Marseilles, rioters broke into a gun store, leaving with hunting rifles.
Marseilles Mayor Benoit Payan called on Paris to send more soldiers, citing “unacceptable” scenes of “pillaging and violence.”
The President of France, Emmanuel Macron stated today that the ongoing Riots have resulted in Worse Violence than the 2005 French Riots in which over 3,000 Civilians and Police were Injured and over 8,000 Cars were Destroyed; he further stated that Decisions will have to be made… pic.twitter.com/rd1NBRLCeC
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 30, 2023
Rioters painted “Vengeance for Nahel” on a number of buildings. In another incident, a bank was set on fire. In Paris, vandals were arrested after looting a Nike shoe store.
The rioting spread to a number of other cities, including Lyon, Toulouse and Lille. Video from the scene showed rioters shooting fireworks at the police.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called for police to stop public transportation after 9 p.m. and announced the deployment of 45,000 police officers.
“The next hours will be decisive and I know I can count on your flawless efforts,” he said.
The unfolding situation may result in a nationwide state of emergency.
France announced that it was investigating the officer involved in the shooting for alleged voluntary homicide. The member of the police force would be held in prison in preventative detention.
