Protests erupted in the French capital overnight following the shooting and killing of a teenager by police officers during a traffic stop. The incident took place in the suburb of Nanterre, west of Paris, and resulted in clashes between riot police and protesters. Cars and garbage cans were set on fire, and fireworks were lit as tear gas filled the air.
The 17-year-old victim, identified as Naël M by his family’s lawyers, was pulled over by police in his vehicle on Tuesday. His lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, announced that they would file a complaint for intentional homicide against the police officer responsible for the shooting. Videos of the incident, widely shared on social media and verified by Reuters, show two police officers standing beside a yellow Mercedes AMG car, with one officer pointing a gun at the driver. The car drives off, and the officer fires at close range through the driver’s window. Subsequent footage shows the crashed car at the side of the road.
Bouzrou accused the police officer of having the intention to kill, citing an individual in the video saying, “I’m going to put a bullet in your head.” The police initially claimed that their lives were in danger as the car had allegedly tried to hit them and the driver did not comply with an order to stop. However, Bouzrou rejected these claims, stating that they are denied by viewing the video.
The victim’s mother, Mounia, called for a protest in her son’s memory. In a video shared by Assa Traoré, whose half brother Adama Traoré died in police custody in 2016, Mounia expressed her grief and said, “I was completely alone with him, and they took my baby away from me. He was still a child; he needed his mother.”
Deadly shootings by police are less common in France compared to the United States. However, in 2022, a record 13 deaths from police shootings occurred during traffic stops in France, leading to the indictment of five police officers. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the victim’s family and called the incident inexplicable and inexcusable. He urged calm to allow justice to take its course.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin also condemned the violence that followed the shooting. He confirmed that the police officer involved was in custody, and two investigations have been opened in response to the tragedy. Darmanin noted that 31 people have been arrested and 24 police officers injured during the protests. To maintain order, 1,200 officers were deployed across the capital, with an additional 2,000 sent out on Wednesday evening.
The mayor of Nanterre, Patrick Jarry, expressed the town’s mourning and called for justice through peaceful mobilization and legal proceedings. French celebrities, including actor Omar Sy and soccer star Kylian Mbappé, publicly reacted to the news, demanding justice for the victim.
The incident has reignited the ongoing debate about police brutality and racism in France. Activists have long called for an end to discriminatory police tactics that disproportionately target minorities, particularly people of African and Arab descent. The global protests against police brutality and racism that followed the killing of George Floyd in the United States in 2020 also resonated in France, with thousands taking to the streets to demand justice for Adama Traoré, whose case was seen as having parallels to Floyd’s.
What are the similarities between the protests against police violence in France and the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States?
Ré was killed during a police arrest in 2016, Mounia expressed her grief and anger over her son’s death. “I am a mother who has lost her child,” she said. “We demand justice for Naël.”
The shooting has reignited long-standing anger and frustration over police violence and systemic racism in France. Protests against police brutality, similar to the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States, have been ongoing in the country for several years. Critics argue that young people of color, particularly those in disadvantaged neighborhoods, are disproportionately targeted by the police.
The incident in Nanterre has sparked calls for police reform and accountability. Protesters gathered in the streets, chanting slogans like “No justice, no peace” and “Stop killing us.” Some held signs with Naël’s name and photo, while others expressed solidarity with the broader movement against police violence.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the shooting during a press conference, expressing his condolences to Naël’s family and vowing that the incident would be thoroughly investigated. “France is a state of rights,” he said, “and police officers must respect those rights.” Macron also called for calm and urged protesters to express their anger peacefully.
The shooting of Naël adds to the growing list of cases involving police violence in France. In 2019, the death of Steve Maia Caniço, who drowned during a police raid on a music festival, sparked nationwide protests. The case is still under investigation. In 2016, the death of Adama Traoré led to widespread demonstrations and calls for justice. Four years later, no officers have been charged in connection with his death.
As the investigation into Naël’s shooting continues, many are hoping for justice and meaningful change. The incident has shed a spotlight on the need for police accountability and efforts to address systemic racism within law enforcement. It remains to be seen how the French government will respond to these demands, but the protests serve as a powerful reminder that the fight against police violence is far from over.
