Jul 04, 2023 at 10:05 PMUpdate: 24 minutes ago
In France, the response to the riots of recent nights is divided. The blame is placed on the rioters and the police. Donations are also pouring in for the victim’s family and for the police officer who shot him.
French President Emmanuel Macron met on Tuesday with more than 200 mayors to discuss the unrest following the death of 17-year-old Nahel.
The teen was shot dead after driving through a traffic stop. That happened in Nanterre, a suburb of Paris. The rioters who have taken to the streets every night since then speak of structural police violence and racism.
Some mayors pointed out to Macron that the situation in the working-class neighborhoods is not new at all and that the problems have been known for a long time. Mostly young people with a migration background and a disadvantaged economic position live in the banlieus.
Police brutality has already led to massive demonstrations in these neighbourhoods, such as in 2005 when two boys were killed by electrocution while fleeing the police. Riots raged for three weeks.
Some mayors Macron spoke to believe that the rioters should have been dealt with more harshly because of the extensive damage done. Others are calling for police reform.
A few mayors see the riots as evidence that too many immigrants have been allowed into France in recent years. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin assured them that this was “absolutely not the case” and said that more than 90 percent of those arrested were French.
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Donations to victim and police officer
Fundraising campaigns have been set up for both the victim’s family and the police officer who shot him. The far-right TV personality Jean Messiha set up the action for the policeman. More than 72,000 people have already donated and 1.4 million euros have been raised for the agent.
Left-wing politicians have condemned the fundraiser, while the far-right defends police unions. “The police officer is the victim of a national witch hunt,” Messiha tweeted. The agent is currently in custody and the French public prosecutor is investigating whether he can be prosecuted for manslaughter.
A money campaign has also been set up for Nahel’s family. It has so far raised 352,000 euros.
The past two nights have been relatively quiet in France after the earlier hectic nights. Macron said at the meeting with the mayors that the peak seems to be behind them, but he did not want to conclude that order has definitely returned.
The French president has announced an emergency law to speed up the repair of the damage. The damage has so far amounted to 280 million euros.
2023-07-04 20:05:00
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