France protest widens after 17-year-old shot dead by police

Protests and demonstrations persisted for a second consecutive night in France as thousands of security forces were deployed to restore order.

The unrest was triggered by the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy by the police during a traffic check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as “inexcusable” and urged for calm as the judicial process unfolded.

Around 2,000 riot police were called upon to handle the situation in the suburbs of Paris on Wednesday night.

Protests took a violent turn as demonstrators set fire to rubbish bins, and fireworks were launched in Nanterre, as well as in other areas of the Hauts-de-Seine region to the west of Paris and in the city of Dijon in the east.

In the Essonne region to the south of the capital, a group of individuals set a bus on fire after evacuating all passengers, according to police sources.

In the southern city of Toulouse, several cars were set ablaze, and responding police and firefighters were targeted with projectiles while thick black smoke engulfed the area, a police source reported.

By midnight on Wednesday, approximately 16 people had been arrested nationwide in connection with the unrest.

The fatal shooting of the teenager on Tuesday morning sparked anger and led to unrest in multiple towns around Paris on Tuesday night.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin disclosed that 31 people were arrested, 24 police officers were injured, and 40 cars were burned during the previous night.

President Macron expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic incident, stating, “A teenager was killed. That is inexplicable and unforgivable. Nothing can justify the death of a young person.

” He made these remarks during an official visit to Marseille in southern France.

Mbappe condemn fatal killing of teenager

Renowned French figures, including football star Kylian Mbappe, expressed outrage and grief over the teenager’s death.

Mbappe, the captain of the French men’s national football team and star player at Paris Saint-Germain tweeted “I am hurting for my France,”.

How 17-year-old Nahel was shot dead by Police

The victim, identified as Nahel M from Nanterre, was stopped by two police officers for a traffic violation while driving a yellow Mercedes on Tuesday morning.

Initially, the police claimed that an officer had fired at the teenager because he was driving his car toward them. However, a video circulated on social media contradicted this account.

The footage showed the two officers standing beside the stationary car, with one of them aiming a weapon at the driver.

A voice can be heard saying, “You are going to get a bullet in the head.” The officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

The 38-year-old policeman responsible for the fatal shot was taken into custody and is now being investigated for voluntary manslaughter.

The incident has reignited the debate in France about police tactics, prompting renewed criticism from human rights groups regarding the treatment of individuals in low-income suburbs, particularly among ethnic minorities.

Nahel’s mother took to TikTok, posting a video calling for a tribute march on Thursday in honor of her son, who was her only child. Nahel M’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, announced plans to file an additional complaint for false testimony regarding the allegation that Nahel had attempted to run over the police officer.