Unrest continues to grip France as protests escalate for a fourth consecutive night following the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old identified as Nahel M. While the intensity of the violence seemed to slightly decrease compared to previous nights, the situation remains volatile, with widespread demonstrations and clashes with law enforcement.
Over 1,300 arrests were made across the country on Friday night, a significant increase from the previous night's 917. Authorities reported over 2,500 fires, a slight decrease from the night before. Despite this, the widespread deployment of 45,000 police officers didn't fully quell the unrest. Cities like Paris, Marseille, and Lyon, along with overseas territories, witnessed continued chaos. Tragically, a 54-year-old individual in French Guiana lost their life after being struck by a stray bullet, according to reports.
Hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters have sustained injuries throughout the four nights of rioting, with an additional 79 reported overnight. The number of injured protesters remains undisclosed.
Disturbing incidents continued to unfold, including the looting of a gun shop in Marseille and the erection of makeshift barricades in Colombes. Lyon also experienced significant vandalism and theft. Even during daylight hours, unrest persisted, with looting reported in Strasbourg and clashes with police near a Paris-area shopping mall.
In response to the escalating situation, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin implemented a nationwide nighttime suspension of public bus and tram services, which have been frequent targets of the rioters. He also issued warnings to social media platforms against facilitating calls to violence. President Emmanuel Macron pointed fingers at social media, particularly Snapchat and TikTok, for allegedly exacerbating the unrest and urged parents to keep their children away from the streets.
The protests were sparked by the death of Nahel M., who was shot by a police officer during a traffic stop on Tuesday. The officer involved faces preliminary charges of voluntary homicide. The prosecutor's initial investigation suggests a lack of legal justification for the officer's use of deadly force.
Nahel's mother expressed her anger towards the officer but not the police force as a whole, stating her belief that her son was targeted due to his appearance. A funeral service for Nahel is scheduled in Nanterre on Saturday.
