Many are in shock after citizens ignited protests in a Paris suburb due to the police killing of a teenager.
According to Politico, on June 27, French police killed Nahel M., who allegedly refused to stop for a traffic check in the city. Prosecutors stated officers shot the 17-year-old dead after he broke road rules and failed to stop. The tragic incident has resulted in protests filled with outrage and concerns over the use of force by police officers.
On social media, video footage of the shooting appeared. It showed a cop pointing a gun at the driver of a car before a gunshot was heard, and the car crashed moments later. Nahel passed away from a fatal wound to the chest. Today (June 28), French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called “for calm and for the truth of the judicial investigation” as demonstrations led to cars being set ablaze. French President Emmanuel Macron called the shooting “inexplicable” and “inexcusable.” “Nothing, nothing justifies the death of a young one,” he noted.
Per the outlet, protests erupted Tuesday night in Nanterre and the surrounding suburbs. Along with burned vehicles, several public buildings were damaged, 24 police officers were wounded, and 31 people were reportedly arrested. Darmanin announced that 2,000 officers will be deployed tonight to contain possible further unrest. French sports and entertainment world members spoke out on Twitter, offering sympathy for the teen, who was reportedly a pizza delivery boy. “I feel bad for my France. An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go out to Naël’s family and loved ones, this little angel who left far too soon,” French football star Kylian Mbappé tweeted.
In a different tweet, French actor Omar Sy wrote, “My thoughts and prayers ago out to the family and loved ones of Naël, who died at the age of 17 this morning, killed by a policeman in Nanterre. May justice, worthy of the name, honor the memory of this child.”
The shooting has also reignited a debate about police brutality in the country.