NANTERRE: France is grappling with widespread riots and violence as nearly 1,000 people have been arrested across the country in the lead-up to the funeral of a teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer during a traffic stop.
Despite claims by the government that the violence had diminished compared to previous nights, the interior ministry reported a total of 994 arrests nationwide, along with 79 injuries sustained by police and gendarmes.
The unrest began on Tuesday following the death of 17-year-old Nahel, who was killed by a police bullet, and has since resulted in numerous incidents of violence and looting. Overnight, 1,350 vehicles were set on fire, 234 buildings were torched, and 2,560 fires were ignited in public spaces, according to provisional ministry figures released on Saturday.
France deployed a record number of 45,000 officers, supported by light armored vehicles and elite police units, in an attempt to contain the riots. However, looting continued in Marseille, Lyon, and Grenoble, where groups of hooded rioters pillaged shops. The clashes persisted in Paris despite heavy rain, with the capital accounting for approximately half of the nationwide arrests.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, while visiting Mantes-la-Jolie west of Paris, claimed that the intensity of the night’s violence was “much less.” Nevertheless, he had previously announced an “exceptional” deployment of police and gendarmes to address the riots ahead of Nahel’s funeral, scheduled to take place on Saturday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.
Calls for End to Violence in France
The French national football team, including captain Kylian Mbappe, joined the calls for an end to the violence, urging a shift toward mourning, dialogue, and reconstruction. The clashes and looting spread to Marseille, where President Emmanuel Macron had visited at the beginning of the week. Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan called for additional law enforcement support from the central government to manage the situation.
The killing of Nahel has reignited longstanding grievances about policing and racial profiling in France’s low-income and multi-ethnic suburbs. While some have condemned the exploitation of his death, others see it as an opportunity to address issues of racism and discrimination in law enforcement.
The unrest has also raised concerns abroad, particularly as France is set to host the Rugby World Cup and the Paris Olympic Games in the coming years.
As the country continues to grapple with the riots and their aftermath, cancellation of large-scale events, travel advisories, and significant economic repercussions have added to the challenges faced by the government and affected communities.
