France has recently seen reduced levels of civil unrest after five consecutive nights of protest following the police shooting of a North African teenager. On Tuesday, June 27th, 17-year-old Nahel M. was shot dead during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris. The officer responsible for the shooting said he did so to prevent a car chase as he had attempted to stop Nahel before and didn’t want others to get hurt, according to a statement he gave investigators. According to the officer’s lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, the officer attempted to shoot toward the driver’s leg but was jostled and shot upward. He accepted responsibility for the lethal shot and asked Nahel’s family for forgiveness, saying he didn’t intend to kill the driver.
Following the death of the teen of Algerian and Moroccan descent, chaos erupted as riots overtook many cities across France. Storefronts were looted and “Vengeance for Nahel” was plastered across buildings. Protesters set fire to buildings, cars, and fireworks. President Emmanuel Macron denounced the shooting on Wednesday.
After a march, which was attended by thousands of people, Nahel’s mother told French television, “I have nothing against the police. I have something against one person, he who killed my son. He did not have to kill my son.”
However, violent incidents continue, including an attack on a Paris Suburb mayor’s home involving a burning car. Over 700 arrests were made nationwide during the fifth night of rioting as security forces worked to quell the worst civil disruption the country has faced in years.
Vincent Jeanbrun, Mayor of the southern suburb of L’Hay-les-Roses, reported injuries to his wife and child, and the incident has been deemed “attempted murder” by Prosecutor Stephane Hardouin.
The Mayor wrote on a social media post, “Last night, a milestone was reached in horror and ignominy. My home was attacked, and my family was the victim of an assassination attempt.”
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin noted that the situation seemed to improve overnight due to increased security measures. French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne denounced the violence and promised that no act of aggression would go unpunished.
Similarly, President Macron postponed a planned trip to Germany to focus on managing the crisis, which has been the most challenging incident since the “yellow vest” protests in 2018.
Approximately 45,000 officers and specialized units, armored vehicles, and helicopters were deployed to the three largest cities of Paris, Lyon, and Marseille. Despite these security measures, clashes continued sporadically in various parts of the country, particularly in Marseille.
In response to the riots, local administrations across France imposed bans on demonstrations, limited public transport, and enforced overnight curfews.
Rioters have caused considerable damage since the start of the unrest, burning more than 2,000 vehicles and injuring over 200 police officers. More than 700 businesses have been pillaged or burned. The civil unrest has also reportedly spread to Lausanne, Switzerland, where local youth damaged shops in the city center.
Nahel’s funeral brought hundreds to Nanterre’s grand mosque, and the incident reignited complaints about police violence and racism, despite President Macron’s denial of systemic racism within French law enforcement.
