San Francisco Frontiers - Fresh unrest in France as anger simmers over police shooting

Around 2,000 riot police have been called up in suburbs around Paris, after a 17-year-old was shot in the chest at point-blank range on Tuesday morning.

The death sparked clashes and arson attacks in several Paris suburbs overnight on Tuesday, with 31 people arrested and 24 police officers injured.

Overnight on Wedensday, trash bins were set on fire and fireworks set off in the western suburb of Nanterre, where the shooting took place, as well as other communes of the Hauts-de-Seine region to the west of Paris, and in the eastern city of Dijon.

In the Essonne region to the south of the capital, a group of people set a bus on fire after having all the passengers get off, police said.

In the southern city of Toulouse, several cars were torched and responding police and firefighters pelted with projectiles as thick black smoke billowed high into the sky, a police source said.

About 16 people have been arrested across the country, police said shortly after midnight.

Celebrities including star footballer Kylian Mbappe expressed outrage and grief at the death of the teenager, while the government issued rare criticism of the security forces in a bid to cool tempers.

"A teenager was killed. That is inexplicable and unforgivable," President Emmanuel Macron said during an official visit to Marseille, southern France.

"Nothing can justify the death of a young person."

The victim, named as Nahel M. from the western Paris suburb of Nanterre, was pulled over by two policemen for breaking traffic rules while driving a yellow Mercedes on Tuesday morning.

Police initially reported that an officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him, but this version of events was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP.

The footage shows the two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver.

A voice is heard saying "You are going to get a bullet in the head."

The police officer then appears to fire as the car abruptly drives off.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne told parliament that the operation "was obviously not in line with the rules of engagement for police".

- 'Revolt for my son' -

The incident has reignited debate in France about police tactics amid longstanding criticism from rights groups about the treatment of people in low-income suburbs, particularly ethnic minorities.

Last year, 13 people were killed in France after refusing to stop for police traffic checks, with a law change in 2017 that gave greater powers to officers to use their weapons now under scrutiny.

But the shooting also follows a series of deaths among the ranks of serving police officers that have provoked widespread public sympathy.

Concerns about violent crime in France are also growing.

Among left-wing politicians, Greens party leader Marine Tondelier said that "what I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight".

But many right-wing politicians were quick to defend the reputation of the police force, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen saying the officer in question was entitled to the "presumption of innocence".

All French governments are haunted by the prospect of a repeat of 2005 riots sparked by the death of two black boys during a police chase. Those protests resulted in around 10,000 cars being burned and 6,000 people arrested.

"There are all the ingredients for another explosion potentially," one government advisor told AFP on condition of anonymity.

- 'Hurting for France' -

The victim, Nahel, was a delivery driver who had dropped out of high school.

He "wasn't a delinquent," a 55-year-old woman who said she knew him told AFP near his home on Wednesday.

"Why did the policeman shoot even though his life was not in danger?" said Juliette, who asked for her full name not to be used.

Nahel's mother posted a video on TikTok calling for a tribute march on Thursday for her son, her only child.

Celebrities also voiced disgust and outrage.

"I am hurting for my France," tweeted Mbappe, captain of the French men's national football team and star player at Paris Saint-Germain.

Actor Omar Sy, famous for his role in the film "The Intouchables" and the "Lupin" TV show, wrote on Twitter: "I hope that justice worthy of the name will honour the memory of this child."

Nahel M.'s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said he would also file an additional complaint for false testimony over the allegation that Nahel had tried to run them over.

There were two passengers in the car. One ran off and the other, also a teenager, was briefly detained.

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H.King--SFF