After the death of a teenager
Hardly any riots, significantly fewer arrests: unrest in France seems to be abating
Police officers patrolled in front of the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Élysées at the weekend: French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin again relied on a massive police presence on Monday night
© Christophe Ena/AP/DPA
Riots, looting, arson attacks – France has been in turmoil since the killing of a 17-year-old during a police check. Now the riots are slowly dying down. However, there is no all-clear yet.
After days of unrest, the wave of violence on the streets of France seems to be slowly ebbing. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there were no serious incidents on Monday night and 78 arrests by 1.30 a.m. – significantly fewer than in the previous nights at this time. There were some riots again this time, for example in Lyon, where the police used tear gas against a right-wing extremist group. Compared to the violent unrest of the past few days, with hundreds of burning cars and buildings and sometimes more than 1,000 arrests during the night, things have remained relatively calm.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had put on a massive police presence for the third night in a row. 45,000 police officers were deployed across the country, again with armored vehicles. According to consistent media reports, Darmanin again gave instructions to act decisively and arrest rioters as soon as possible.
Grandmother of the dead calls for an end to the riots
In an emotional appeal, the grandmother of the youth, whose death by a police bullet during a traffic stop on Tuesday had triggered the unrest, also wished for a reduction in violence. “Fortunately the police are there. I say to the people who are breaking something: ‘Stop’.” The rioters “used their 17-year-old grandson, who was shot by a police officer, as an excuse,” she told broadcaster BFMTV on Sunday. Although she was angry with the officials, she did not want to generalize. The policeman will be punished like everyone else. “I have faith in the judiciary.” The people on the streets should remain calm and not destroy everything.
Since the death of the 17-year-old, whose family is from Algeria, France has been shaken by massive riots, especially at night. There were repeated looting, arson attacks and violent confrontations between police officers and rioters. According to the Interior Ministry, around 5,000 burning cars, 10,000 burning rubbish bins, almost 1,000 buildings that were set on fire or damaged and 250 attacks on police stations were counted in the five previous nights. More than 700 security guards were injured. Hundreds of people were arrested every night.
French President Macron wants to “thoroughly understand” reasons
Head of state Emmanuel Macron wants to meet with the presidents of the Senate and National Assembly on Monday, as the television broadcaster BFMTV and the newspaper “Le Parisien” reported on Sunday after Macron’s briefing with Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, Interior Minister Darmanin and several other ministers. A meeting with the mayors of more than 220 communities where there had been riots is planned for Tuesday. Macron also asked Borne to receive the leaders of the parliamentary groups in Parliament on Monday.
Riots continue
France is on fire: riots after a deadly police shot plunge the country into a crisis
Macron wants to start “careful and long-term work to thoroughly understand the reasons that led to these events,” the presidential office said. The government first wants to analyze the events and then draw conclusions.
The association of French mayors called for solidarity rallies in front of all town halls in the country on Monday afternoon. Since Tuesday, 150 town halls or community buildings have been attacked, said association chairman David Lisnard.