France flares up over fatal police shooting of Arab teenager during a traffic stop
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Paris: People who took to the streets of Paris in protest against the killing of 17-year-old Nahel M., an Arab teenager, clashed with the police. Nahel was shot dead by the police on Tuesday near Nelson Mandela Square in Nanterre.
Nahel was stopped by police officers for driving a vehicle without a license when the situation took a deadly turn. Video footage of the incident contradicts earlier police claims, showing that the vehicle was not heading towards the officers with the intention to harm them. As the car pulled away, an officer opened fire, hitting Nahel in the chest.
The footage quickly went viral, triggering widespread condemnation and accusations of excessive force, impunity, and racism. Protesters took to the streets, demanding justice for Nahel and expressing their anger over the incident. Overnight clashes between police and residents of Nanterre, Asnieres, Colombes, Clichy-sous-Bois, and Mantes-la-Jolie led to 31 arrests.
French President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit to Marseille, described the shooting as "inexplicable" and "inexcusable." He emphasized that nothing justifies the death of a young person and expressed his condolences to Nahel's family, calling for the truth to be uncovered swiftly.
The officer responsible for the shooting has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and taken into custody. However, his arrest has not quelled the unrest, with further clashes occurring between protesters and riot police. The violence has spread to other cities like Lille, Marseille, and Bordeaux, and smaller towns where such disturbances are rare.
The incident has also reignited the debate on arming police officers. A law allowing them to carry firearms was adopted in 2017 in response to a previous shooting of four officers. Critics argue that the officers involved in Nahel's shooting did not respond in a proportionate manner, raising concerns about the culture of impunity within the police force.
As tensions continue to escalate, President Macron has announced the deployment of additional resources by the Ministry of the Interior and called on parents to take responsibility for their children, urging them not to participate in the violence. Meanwhile, Nahel's funeral is scheduled for Saturday, and further unrest is anticipated.