Following the deadly police shooting of a teen, France has been rocked by yet another night of riots, with violence escalating around Europe.
Several French cities have experienced rioting that resulted in bus stops being completely demolished, houses and cars being set on fire, and an increasing number of arrests.
After three nights of protests, at least 667 individuals have been detained, according to Gerald Darmanin, France’s interior minister.
There are reports in local media that violence has spread to the Belgian capital of Brussels.
Yesterday several authorities havecurfews in place, stopped public transport services earlier than usual and banned the sale of flammable products.
Earlier, the government said it was set to deploy 40,000 police officers and gendarmes to try and calm the chaos.
Demonstrations first broke out on Tuesday after a 17-year-old boy named only as Nahel M was shot dead during a traffic stop in the suburb of Nanterre.
President Emmanuel Macron said the attacks on officers and burning of buildings and vehicles were ‘unjustifiable’.
Nahel’s devastated mother Mounia said: ‘I lost a 17-year-old, I was alone with him, and they took my baby away from me. He was still a child, he needed his mother.’
The police officer who killed the boy was detained and has now been charged with voluntary homicide.
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Speaking of Macron, the French President came under heavy criticism for attending an Elton John concert last night while the country was engulfed by rioting and chaos.
French President Emmanuel Macron will hold another emergency crisis meeting today following another night of unrest, AFP reports.
Good morning and welcome to our continued coverage of the riots in France as the country experiences a third successive night of looting and unrest following the killing of 17-year-old Nahel M by police.
if you’re just joining us, here’s a summary of last night’s key events:
- Over 40,000 officers have been deployed across France quell further clashes with protesters, with around 5,000 incidents reproted in Paris alone.
- Over 180 arrests were made last night, bringing the total to 667.
- The officer involved in the shooting of Nahel M has been arrested and is facing preliminary charges of voluntary homicide. His lawyer has issued an apology to the teenager’s family and says the officer is ‘devastated’.
- Widespread looting has been reported throughout the country. In Paris, the central shopping street of Rue de Rivoli has been ransacked, whereas looters in Roubaix, near the Belgian border, targeted a mini supermarket before setting fire to it.
- A library in Marseille has been burned and vandalised, local officials claim, and police used tear gas to disperse up to 150 people who tried to set up barricades.
- Local media has reported the unrest hs spread to Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
- A memorial march for Nahel attracted thousands of protestors and was attended by Nahel mother, Mounia. In a TV interview, Mounia said she didn’t blame the whole police force for what happened to her son- just the officer who fired the lethal shot.