Protest erupts in France after Policeman shot dead teenager

Protesters armed with fireworks battled with riot police in a Paris suburb overnight after a 17-year-old man was shot dead by police during a traffic check.

Thirty-one persons were arrested, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, during skirmishes in which 40 cars were destroyed, largely in Nanterre, a Paris district where the victim was from.

Darmanin urged for calm on BFMTV on Wednesday morning, saying that “justice must be done and the truth must be told.” According to him, 2,000 police officers have been deployed in the region.

He also stated that if the charges against the cop are proven, he will be fired.

Video footage showed at least one building on fire and burnt-out barricades on the road. Fireworks were aimed at police, who fired tear gas at the crowd.

Prosecutors on Tuesday said the shooting took place after the youth failed to comply with an order to stop his car. The officer fired at the boy, who subsequently died from his wounds.

A video shared on social media shows two police officers beside the car, a Mercedes AMG, with one shooting as the driver pulled away.

Local resident and anti-racism campaigner, Mornia Labssi, who said she had spoken to the victim’s family, said his name was Nael and that he was of Algerian origin. Prosecutors did not identify the victim.

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez told BFMTV that “this act raises questions for me” and that the justice system would decide whether or not it was appropriate.

The two officers who carried out the traffic stop, aged between 38 and 40, were experienced, Darmanin said.

French actor Omar Sy expressed his support for the family of the victim on Twitter and called for “justice to honour the memory of this child.”

PKylian Mpabbe of Paris Saint-Germain posted sadness emojis and added, “I’m hurting for my France.” This is an unacceptable scenario.”

So far in 2023, there have been two deadly shootings during traffic stops in France.

According to a Reuters tally, 13 people were killed in such situations in 2022, compared to three in 2021 and two in 2020, with the majority of victims being Black or of Arab descent.