Paris shooting: French Arab teen killed by traffic police, sparks violent protests

Paris: France has been witnessing widespread protests and riots following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a Paris suburb. The incident, captured on video, has ignited anger and renewed debates on police tactics.

The footage shows two policemen standing beside Nahel's stationary car, with one officer pointing a weapon at the teenager. A voice can be heard saying, "You are going to get a bullet in the head," followed by the sound of a gunshot as the car abruptly drives off. The video evidence contradicts initial police accounts, which claimed that Nahel was driving toward the officer.

Nahel's mother, Mounia, believes her son's killing was racially motivated. She said the police officer "saw an Arab face, a little kid, and wanted to take his life." She further asked: "He didn't need to kill my son. A bullet? So close to his chest? How long is this going to go on? How many other children are going to go like this? How many mothers will find themselves like me?"

The 38-year-old expressed her sorrow but did not hold a grudge against the police force as a whole. In her first media interview since the tragic incident, Mounia stated, "I don't blame the police, I blame one person: the one who took the life of my son."

She further added that many of her police friends supported her cause and disagreed with the officer's actions. Mounia's emotional plea highlighted concerns about the unnecessary use of force and the targeting of individuals based on their ethnic background, reported AFP.

The incident has intensified concerns about the police's use of firearms during traffic stops and their treatment of individuals who refuse to comply. Recent statistics reveal that 13 people were killed in the country last year as a result of refusing to stop for police traffic checks. A law enacted in 2017 granting officers expanded powers to use their weapons is now under scrutiny.

The shooting has triggered long-standing grievances surrounding policing practices and racial profiling in France's low-income, multiethnic suburbs, fueling the ongoing riots. Thousands of protesters joined a memorial march for Nahel, led by his mother, in Nanterre. The peaceful demonstration, however, turned violent as clashes erupted between riot police and protesters resulting in setting several vehicles on fire and the deployment of tear gas.

Around 150 people were arrested nationwide.

Several cities in the European country have seen protests and many of them turned violent. France's second-largest prison complex, Fresnes was also attacked by protestors with fireworks.

The police officer responsible for Nahel's death, who has been charged with voluntary homicide, expressed remorse and offered an apology to the grieving family while in custody, said his lawyer Laurent-Franck Lienard. According to the lawyer, the police officer emphasised that he did not intend to kill the teenager and was profoundly affected by the violent nature of the video footage.

"The first words he pronounced were to say sorry and the last words he said were to say sorry to the family. He is devastated, he doesn't get up in the morning to kill people. He didn't want to kill him," said the lawyer to BFMTV.

French authorities are preparing for further violent protests anticipating an escalating crisis.

An internal security note warns that upcoming nights may witness "urban violence" aimed at the police and symbols of the state. Clamart, a Paris suburb, has already imposed an overnight curfew until next Monday. The government has mobilised over 40,000 police officers, quadrupling their numbers from the previous day, to maintain order and prevent further unrest.

The riots pose a significant challenge for President Emmanuel Macron, who wants to move past the massive demonstrations that arose from controversial changes to the retirement age. He called for calm, condemning the violent nature of the protests as "unjustifiable."

The French government is keen to avoid a repeat of the 2005 urban riots triggered by the deaths of two boys during a police chase, which led to the arrest of thousands.

Suggestions to declare a state of emergency, enabling local authorities to establish no-go areas, have been proposed but have not been confirmed. Measures such as overnight curfews, bans on gatherings, and the deployment of drones have been implemented in various regions.