Once again, the suburbs of Paris, including Nanterre, were consumed by unrest following the tragic killing of 17-year-old Naël by a police officer.
Last night witnessed a repetition of the previous night’s chaos, with enraged mobs setting cars, rubbish bins, and various other objects ablaze. Streets were left shattered, while barricades emerged in multiple locations.
Reports emerged from Nanterre, stating that a protester had been hospitalized due to injuries sustained from a police officer’s gunshot.
To counter the escalating situation, 2,000 police officers were deployed to the Parisian suburbs, marking an increase of 800 compared to the previous night. These officers faced a barrage of Molotov cocktails, stones, and fireworks from the rioters. In response, the police resorted to firing rubber bullets.
Numerous police vehicles fell victim to arson attacks, and in Fresnes, a suburb near Orly airport, rioters targeted the entrance of the local prison. Prompt police intervention prevented them from gaining entry. By 2:00 am, the regional police had already made 77 arrests.
Extremely tense situation in #Nanterre . pic.twitter.com/WGtOt5MCCC
— Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) June 28, 2023
Unrest also gripped several other French cities, prompting police intervention. Among these cities were Paris, Lille, Roubaix, Nice, and Toulouse.
The incident that sparked the turmoil unfolded when Naël, behind the wheel of a car, was subjected to a routine traffic check by two motorcycle police officers on Tuesday morning. Instead of complying, Naël swiftly accelerated and fled. In response, one of the officers fired a fatal shot, tragically ending the young driver’s life.
Initially, the police asserted that the officer opened fire when the vehicle collided with the two motorcyclists. However, this account proved to be incorrect. A video circulating on social media revealed that one of the police officers was in close proximity to the stationary car, holding the driver, when the vehicle began to drive away. It was during this moment that the officer fired, hitting Naël in the chest. Prior to the shot, disturbing words were heard: “You’ll get a bullet in the head.”
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne took to Twitter, expressing her hope that the unwavering pursuit of truth would restore tranquility amidst the prevailing anger.
In addition, she addressed the parliament, emphasizing that the police’s actions had clearly deviated from the prescribed rules of engagement.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, a left-wing politician, condemned the police for tarnishing the state’s authority and called for a comprehensive reform of the entire police system.
He tweeted, “The death penalty no longer has a place in France. No police officer possesses the authority to take a life except in cases of self-defense.”
La peine de mort n’existe plus en France. Aucun policier n’a le droit de tuer sauf légitime défense. S’il s’agissait d’un refus d’obtempérer de pollueurs ou d’émigrés fiscaux on ne se poserait pas la question. Nous avons multiplié les alertes. Cette police incontrôlée par le…
— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) June 27, 2023
Meanwhile, Eric Ciotti, the president of the conservative Republicains, expressed his support for the police.
Ciotti called the police “defenders of our collective security,” and referred to the protest while tweeting that “Nothing justifies this chaos!”
Support for our police officers mobilized tonight in #Nanterre to maintain order.
The night will be rough, you are the defenders of our collective security.
Nothing justifies this chaos! pic.twitter.com/gXjl2l90QE
— Eric Ciotti (@ECiotti) June 27, 2023