riots
Over 700 arrests in France – Champs Élysées cleared
Police officers patrol in front of the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Élysées. photo
© Christophe Ena/AP
The situation initially seemed less tense than in the previous nights. Is the violence in France slowly ebbing after days of unrest? The police arrested more than 700 people.
The world-famous Parisian shopping street Champs Élysées was cleared by a large police force using tear gas, as “Le Figaro” reported. There was also renewed looting in Lyon and Nice. In view of the unrest, President Emmanuel Macron canceled his state visit to Germany.
The situation in Marseille is tense but under control, the city administration announced in the evening. Groups formed throughout the evening to cause damage, said the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, according to “Le Parisien”. The police tried to disperse the people with tear gas.
The police presence was massively increased in Marseille, Lyon and Grenoble in particular. After an armory had previously been looted in Marseille, the police were there with armored vehicles, helicopters and special troops.
Darmanin previously spoke of “lower intensity”
The trigger for the riots was the death of a youth at the hands of a police officer a few days ago. The 17-year-old was stopped at the wheel of a car by a motorcycle patrol in Nanterre on Tuesday. When the young man suddenly drove off, a fatal shot fell from a police officer’s service weapon. The officials had initially stated that the young people had wanted to run over them. It was only when video images of the incident, verified by the media, spread on social networks that they moved away from this portrayal and the alleged intention to kill the young person. The police officer blamed for his death has been taken into custody. A manslaughter investigation was launched against him.
The incident triggered a wave of violence in France. Early on Saturday morning, after another night of violence, Interior Minister Darmanin said it was “less intense” than before. However, the numbers he presented sounded little reassuring: 1,311 arrests – significantly more than in the previous nights -, 406 of them in Paris alone, and 79 injured police officers.
The young man was buried on Saturday afternoon in his hometown of Nanterre near Paris. Observers had previously feared that the funeral could pour fuel on the fire again. But according to “Le Parisien” it was quiet in Nanterre until midnight.
Macron forced to cancel state visit
Because of the unrest, President Macron canceled his state visit to Germany on Saturday. It would have been the first state visit by a French president to Germany in 23 years. But the domestic political situation is forcing Macron to stay in France.
Several concerts, fashion shows and other cultural events were also canceled in France. Buses and trams currently only run during the day, and the sale and carrying of fireworks and flammable substances have been banned. However, the government has not yet declared a national emergency, and curfews have only been imposed in small towns.
The Federal Foreign Office updated its travel and safety information on Saturday in view of the riots. Travelers were asked to inform themselves about the respective situation and to avoid large areas of violent riots. In addition, depending on the travel destination, significant restrictions should be taken into account when planning the program, especially in the evening and at night. The Federal Foreign Office pointed out that there had been violent riots in some districts and suburbs of Paris as well as in other larger cities in France. Some cities have imposed night curfews between 9 p.m. or 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. This often only applies to minors under the age of 16.