The riots that have taken over French cities following a police shooting reached their third night on Thursday (30), after days of protesters burning cars, setting buildings on fire, vandalizing, and lighting fireworks outside police stations.
On Thursday night, more than 667 people were arrested, according to the French Interior Minister. He also stated that 170 police officers were injured. The unrest occurred in response to the killing of a 17-year-old boy by a police officer in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris, on Tuesday (27).
What triggered the protests?
On Tuesday morning, a police officer shot and killed a 17-year-old teenager, identified only as Nahel M., while the teenager was driving. The Nanterre prosecutor said that Nahel was driving in a bus lane and, when the police attempted to stop him, he ran a red light to escape. He then became stuck in traffic, and the police approached the car.
The prosecutor stated that he was killed by a single shot that passed through his left arm and chest.
Initial reports from the French media, citing what were described as anonymous police sources, claimed that the teenager had run over both police officers at the scene. But a video of the shooting that emerged shortly after appeared to contradict that account, showing that the officer who fired was not in immediate danger because the car was moving away.
The conflicting reports contributed to the violent protests, which are affecting more than a dozen cities.
What is the situation of the police officer?
On Thursday night, the Nanterre prosecutor’s office announced that the police officer had been placed under formal investigation on charges of voluntary manslaughter and detained.
Why did the killing cause so much anger?
The case revived memories of 2005, when the death of two teenagers fleeing from the police triggered weeks of violent protests, with hundreds of young people from the poorest suburbs of Paris setting cars and buildings on fire.
In the following years, several police beatings and deaths in custody led to protests and fueled widespread accusations of police brutality.
The killing of the 17-year-old was the third death this year during a police traffic stop and follows a record of 13 deaths last year.
The majority of the victims are of Black or Arab descent, according to the Reuters news agency.
What is the legal basis for shooting during a traffic stop?
By law, French police can shoot in five specific instances following a change in the law in 2017. This includes when the driver or occupants of a vehicle ignore a stop order and are considered a risk to the life or physical safety of the police officer or others.
Last year, a study showed that fatal police shootings against moving vehicle drivers multiplied by five since the law was implemented.
Of the 39 people killed by police in 2022, 13 were drivers who were shot for failing to comply with orders.
Critics argue that the increase in such incidents is a direct result of the new law, which they say is too vague because it leaves it to police officers to determine whether a driver’s refusal to comply poses a risk.
Some politicians have also called for the law to be reviewed.
Source: The New York Times and BBC News