Known for taking a stand in the media and on social networks to defend causes close to their hearts and/or discuss social issues such as racism or police violence, Jules Koundé, at first, then Kylian Mbappé in a second, did not remain silent after the death of a young motorist of 17 years, killed by a policeman in Nanterre, Tuesday, because of a refusal to obey. While the policeman was taken into custody and tensions and clashes took place between residents and the police in the Vieux-Pont district, the Barça defender used his Twitter account to share his indignation with his 600,000 subscribers.
“A 17-year-old young man shot dead at point-blank range by a police officer for refusing to comply during a check. This is the reality of the situation and it is dramatic, wrote the former Bordelais on Tuesday evening. As if this new police blunder was not enough, the continuous news channels are making a big deal out of it. Sets disconnected from reality, “journalists” who ask “questions” with the sole aim of distorting the truth, criminalizing the victim and finding extenuating circumstances where there are none. A method as old as the world to hide the real problem. What if we turned off the TV for a bit to find out? “.
For his part, the star of the French team and PSG Kylian Mbappé drew his message this Wednesday morning. I hurt my France, posted Mbappé, followed by blue-white-red hearts. An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go out to Naël’s family and loved ones, this little angel who left much too soon. “This is not the first position taken on the subject of police violence by Kylian Mbappé: in November 2020, he reacted in particular to the beating of black music producer, Michel Zecler, by police officers in Paris, denouncing “ an unbearable video” and “unacceptable violence”.
Two investigations opened by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office
The tragedy, which has reignited controversy over the response of law enforcement in these situations, occurred on Tuesday morning near the Nanterre-Préfecture RER station, in the Paris suburbs. A video circulating on social networks showed that one of the two police officers held the driver at gunpoint, then fired at point-blank range when the car restarted.
In the video, we hear “you’re going to get shot in the head”, without being able to attribute this sentence to anyone in particular. The car ended its race a few tens of meters further, embedded in a post. The victim, Naël M., 17, died shortly after being hit in the chest.
Following the tragedy, clashes took place overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday in Nanterre: 24 people were arrested, 24 members of the police were slightly injured and 42 cars were burned, the prefect said on Wednesday morning. Paris police, Laurent Nunez, on Cnews, adding that 350 police and gendarmes had been hired.
Contacted by 20 minutesthe Nanterre Public Prosecutor’s Office indicated on Tuesday that it had opened two flagrant investigations, one for “refusal to comply” and “attempted intentional homicide of a person holding public authority”, entrusted to the Nanterre police station and the Territorial security of 92, the other for “intentional homicide by a person holding public authority” entrusted to the IGPN (general inspectorate of the national police).