France witnessed the third night of protests since a 17-year-old boy was shot dead by the French police for a traffic violation on Tuesday.
Over 800 protesters have been arrested last night. Violent protests erupted with streets ablaze as demonstrators erected barricades, set cars on fire, and looted stores. In response, security forces used tear gas and arrested hundreds of individuals. The French government, facing challenges in maintaining order, condemned the violence and held crisis meetings to address the situation.
President Emmanuel Macron decided to end his trip to Brussels, where he was participating in a European summit, to preside over crisis discussions in Paris.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated that they are considering “all options” to quell the unrest when questioned about the possibility of declaring a state of emergency.
Several towns across France have begun implementing evening curfews as a measure to maintain order and control the situation.
In response to the protests that occurred across France last night, public demonstrations have been prohibited today in the southern city of Marseille. Additionally, the authorities in Marseille, which is the second-largest city in the country, have announced the suspension of all public transport services as of 19:00 local time tonight. These measures have been taken to maintain public safety and prevent further incidents of unrest in the city.
The 17-year-old was fatally shot by the French police and was identified as Nahel M, a teenager of North African descent.
Macron calls for a crisis meeting.
French President Emmanuel Macron convened a crisis meeting, the second in two days, in response to another night of rioting that was triggered by the police killing of Nahel M.
The government is considering “all options” to restore order, according to Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who denounced the violence as “intolerable and inexcusable.”
The unrest spread to multiple cities, including Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, Lille, and Paris, with violent incidents reported overnight. The suburb of Nanterre, where the 17-year-old was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Tuesday, was particularly affected. The total number of arrests during the riots on Thursday reached at least 875 individuals.
President Emmanuel Macron provided figures regarding the extent of the damage caused by the riots: a total of 492 buildings were reported to have been damaged, while a staggering 2,000 vehicles were burned. Furthermore, there were 3,880 fires reported as a result of the unrest.
Marseille bans protests following escalating riots
All public transport services in Marseille, France’s second-largest city, will be suspended from 7 pm (5:00 GMT) today. The city’s authorities have also announced a ban on public demonstrations for Friday, aiming to prevent further unrest.
Violence also erupted in other French cities including Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, Lille, and the suburbs of Paris for a third consecutive night.
In anticipation of further unrest, several suburbs and towns in the Parisian region have imposed evening curfews. Several French regions have implemented restrictions on fireworks. The regional administration of Pas-de-Calais has announced a ban on the possession and use of fireworks on public streets by non-professionals until July 3.
The prefect of Loire has issued a ban on the sale, transport, and possession of various hazardous materials, including acids, fuels in portable containers, agricultural or artisanal explosives, explosive substances, and fireworks, in multiple municipalities and public spaces.
