Riots erupted in and around Paris after authorities shot dead a 17-year-old earlier this week.
The riots are in response to the killing of Nahel M.
On Tuesday (June 27), AP News reported that authorities had killed an identified 17-year-old Nahel Mwho was of Algerian descent.
The incident, which took place in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France, came after Nahel attempted to drive away during a traffic stop. Eyewitness videos later emerged, sparking further outrage over the teenager’s death as many believed authorities had unnecessarily escalated the situation at the traffic stop.
Various vehicles and buildings were set on fire during the protests as people called for police reform. As of Thursday night alone, 875 people were arrested and 3,880 fires set, according to ABC News.
We should note that the prosecutor of Nanterre Pascal Prache stated that the officer who killed Nahel was being investigated for “intentional homicide” because “the requirements for the legal use of the weapon were not met”.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemns Paris riots: ‘Nothing justifies violence’
In response to the current situation, the French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the protests during a press conference. Instead, he declared, “This should be a moment of reflection and respect.”
“There is an unacceptable exploitation of the death of a teenager that we all regret. This should be a moment of reflection and respect. Faced with this, I condemn in the strongest terms those who are using this situation and this moment to stir up trouble and target our institutions… I condemn in the strongest terms, as we all do, this pure and unjustified violence that has no legitimacy. “
Shortly thereafter, Emmanuel Macron said that “social media platforms play a significant role” in “organizing” and “imitating” violence among young people.
In addition, he pointed out that “a third of those arrested [the night before] were young, sometimes very young.” Therefore, it is “the responsibility of parents to ensure that they stay at home during this time,” said Macron.
As for his advice to parents, below is footage of a father taking his child’s safety into his own hands.
#FranceRiots #FranceProtests 🇫🇷
🔴A father decided to pick up and bring home his young son who was taking part in the riots.
In #Paris and the Paris region alone, 875 people were arrested last night, a number that has increased six-fold in 24 hours. #Nael #emeutes #etatdurgence #JusticePourNael pic.twitter.com/ifRTUV0Lzh
— 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐊𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐀 | 🇪🇺🇫🇷🇵🇱🇺🇦 (@tweetforAnna) June 30, 2023
Macron deployed 45,000 officers in anticipation of further unrest on Friday night, according to BBC News.
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