At least 77 individuals were arrested in France during a second night of unrest sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. The teen, identified as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he fled from a traffic stop.
On Wednesday, social media videos showed vehicles being set on fire and stores ravaged.
Police were compelled to withdraw partially in Nanterre, the suburb from which Nahel originated.
French Police, Protesters Clash for Second Night
According to BBC, fireworks were launched at police stations throughout Paris by demonstrators. Protesters and police also clashed in the northern city of Lille. People inside the town hall of the Mons-en-Baroeul suburb were captured on video torching documents and chairs.
About 300 people congregated in the western city of Rennes to pay tribute to Nahel M; some of them lit fires and were dispersed by police. French President Emmanuel Macron described the killing of Nahel as "inexcusable."
Police unions responded angrily to his remarks, accusing him of racing to evaluate the officers involved. The Alliance Police union advocated for them to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, whereas the rival Unité SGP Police spoke out against political interventions that incited "anti-cop animosity."
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated that he would pursue legal action against another group, France Police, after it published what he termed an "unacceptable and abject" tweet attempting to justify the death of Nahel M.
The now-deleted tweet praised the officers who "opened fire on a juvenile criminal" and faulted the teen's parents for his death, claiming they were "unable to educate their son."
A video circulating on social media, which has been verified by the French news agency AFP, depicts two police officers attempting to halt the vehicle, with one aiming his weapon at the driver through the window and firing at close range when he continues to drive.
The automobile traveled a few meters before colliding. As per Al Jazeera, the emergency services attempted to revive the teen at the site, but he passed away shortly after.
Tensions Escalate in France Following Nahel M's Death
Local citizens demonstrated in front of the police headquarters. Later on Tuesday, tensions escalated; demonstrators ignited fires, torched a car, destroyed bus stops, and hurled fireworks at police, who responded with tear gas and dispersal grenades. Wednesday saw the deployment of thousands of police officers in anticipation of further unrest.
In the South of the French capital, there were also disturbances in Amiens, Dijon, and the administrative department of Essonne, according to a police spokesperson.
The French media reported incidents in a number of other locations throughout the Paris metropolitan area. Social media videos depicted dozens of fireworks being launched at the Montreuil municipal hall on the eastern outskirts of Paris.
Officers' use of lethal force against the teen has contributed to a widespread perception of police brutality in the ethnically diverse neighborhoods of France's largest cities. The French government's law enforcement agencies are allegedly rife with prejudice, a claim Macron has previously refuted.
A minute of silence was observed in the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated that the gunshot "clearly violates the norms."
In a TikTok video, a woman identified as the victim's mother called for a memorial march in Nanterre on Thursday. She said, "Everyone gather, we will lead a revolt for my son."
Per The Guardian, the incident on Tuesday was the third fatal gunshot during a traffic stop in France in 2023. According to a spokesperson for the national police, there were a record 13 such gunshots in 2017.
