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France riots: Macron tells parents to keep kids off streets
Published 10 hours agoPublished 10 hours agolast updated 1 hour agolast updated 1 hour ago
The French president said many of the arrested rioters were “young, or very young” and parents should take responsibility. Meanwhile, the UK issued a travel warning on France for its citizens. DW has the latest.
https://p.dw.com/p/4TFsz
A massive fire amid riots in the southern French town of Annecy
The police killing of a 17-year-old of Maghrebi descent has sparked outrage across the countryImage: Grégory Yetchmeniza/MAXPPP/dpa/picture alliance
Skip next section What you need to know
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
France arrests 875 people overnight after third night of riots
Macron says additional police to be deployed but holds off on state of emergency decree for now
Riots take place in Paris, Marseille and other French cities
Unrest spills into neighboring Belgium
Skip next section France police shooting indicative of ‘systemic racism,’ journalist says
1 hour ago1 hour ago
France police shooting indicative of ‘systemic racism,’ journalist says
The fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel is indicative of a “problem of systemic racism in the French police,” says French journalist and analyst Rokhaya Diallo.
In an interview with DW, Diallo said the death served as a reminder of “how common it is for a person of color in France to be brutalized by the police.”
“That is not the problem of one single individual, but something that is deeper.”
She called for anti-racist policies and legislation to address what she described as “deep problems” within the police force.
Diallo argued that the laws currently in place were enabling police personnel to exercise violence rather than curtailing their actions. She referred to a particular law, passed in 2017, that expanded the use of firearms by police to ensure self defense.
“In five years, the number of people shot while driving was multiplied by five,” she said. “So it hasn’t changed for the best, but for the worst.”
Diallo said she expected the anger on the streets to continue “until the principle of equality is actually applied to everyone in France.”
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Skip next section Macron lambasts social media, says more police to be deployed
4 hours ago4 hours ago
Macron lambasts social media, says more police to be deployed
French President Emmanuel Macron criticized social media and video games after convening a crisis meeting with ministers on the unrest.
The French president said social media was playing a “considerable role” in fomenting the unrest. Macron said he wants platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok to delete sensitive content.
Macron urged parents to keep young rioters off the streets, while noting a third of the 875 individuals arrested overnight were “young, or very young.”
“It’s the responsibility of parents to keep them at home,” Macron said about young rioters. “It’s not the state’s job to act in their place.”
Macron said “additional means” would be mobilized by the government, while condemning the “unacceptable exploitation of a death of an adolescent.”
The French president did not declare a state of the emergency to tackle the unrest.
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Skip next section UK alerts citizens about travel to France
4 hours ago4 hours ago
UK alerts citizens about travel to France
The British government has warned its citizens about travel to France due to the riots.
“Since 27 June, riots have taken place across France. Many have turned violent. Shops, public buildings and parked cars have been targeted,” the UK said. “There may be disruptions to road travel and local transport provision may be reduced. Some local authorities may impose curfews.”
The UK advised its citizens to “monitor the media” and avoid areas where unrest is taking place.
France is a common destination for British holidaymakers, with regions like the south especially popular in summer.
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Skip next section Paris shortens bus and tram services
5 hours ago5 hours ago
Paris shortens bus and tram services
The IDFM, the regional authority responsible for public transport in the greater Paris region, has announced that bus and tram services in the French capital will shut down at 9:00 p.m. (1900 UTC) for the time being.
In a tweet, the IDFM said the measure was for the safety of employees and travelers.
Much of the unrest has taken place in the western Parisian suburb of Nanterre, where police killed 17-year-old Nahel earlier this week.
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Skip next section French authorities release new arrest and damage figures
5 hours ago5 hours ago
French authorities release new arrest and damage figures
The French Ministry of Interior said Friday that 875 people were taken into custody during the overnight unrest, updating a previous figure of 667 arrests.
Around 1,900 automobiles have been burned since Thursday, with fires being ignited at 500 public buildings such as police stations. A total of 3,880 fires were started overnight.
The information is being provided as French President Emmanuel Macron convenes a meeting to respond to the crisis.
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Skip next section UN urges France to address racism among police
6 hours ago6 hours ago
UN urges France to address racism among police
The UN on Friday called on France to tackle racism in its security forces.
“We are concerned by the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by police in France… this is a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement,” Spokesperson for the UN High Commission for Human Rights Ravina Shamdasani said.
“We also emphasize the importance of peaceful assembly,” she added. “We call on the authorities to ensure use of force by police to address violent elements in demonstrations always respects the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination, precaution and accountability.”
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Skip next section France to review ‘all options’ to restore order — PM Borne
7 hours ago7 hours ago
France to review ‘all options’ to restore order — PM Borne
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said that a crisis meeting held with French President Emmanuel Macron today will review “all options” to restore order in the country.
“The priority is to ensure national unity and the way to do it is to restore order,” Borne told journalists in Paris when asked about whether declaring a state of emergency is on the table.
A state of emergency would enable the French government to enact curfews and other broad measures such as no-go areas to quell the riots.
French police patrol the streets of the Parisian suburb of Nanterre amid rioting French police patrol the streets of the Parisian suburb of Nanterre amid rioting
As the violence persists, Macron’s government is coming under stricter pressure to decree a rare state of emergencyImage: Aurelien Morissard/AP/dpa
A state of emergency has only been declared six times since 1955, most recently after the 2015 acts of terrorism in Paris by the so-called “Islamic State” (IS). A state of emergency was also decreed in 2005 by President Jacques Chirac as the country reeled from nationwide unrest similar to the one that erupted this week.
Macron’s government has earlier ruled out the move. Opposition figures, such as Eric Ciotti of the center-right Les Republicains, have demanded the measure as a means to restore stability.
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Skip next section Riots leave hundreds of French police officers injured
9 hours ago9 hours ago
Riots leave hundreds of French police officers injured
The French Ministry of Interior said Friday that 249 officers were injured after the third night of unrest.
Clashes between officers and the rioters occurred throughout the country. In the southern French city of Pau, for example, local officials said a police station was targeted by a Molotov cocktail.
Social media footage showed fires being lit in major cities overnight. In the western Parisian suburb of Nanterre where the police killing occurred, rioters launched projectiles at officers.
Across the country, 40,000 members of law enforcement were deployed on Thursday evening to quell the unrest. In the capital Paris, 5,000 officers were on duty overnight.
In a tweet, The French National Police said it was “strongly mobilized” overnight “to restore order, prevent acts of vandalism and challenge troublemakers.”
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Skip next section Riots reach Belgium
9 hours ago9 hours ago
Riots reach Belgium
The outrage over the killing of the teenager in France has also extended to neighboring Belgium.
On late Thursday, Belgian police said that 30 people were taken into custody amid the unrest. Much of the disorder occurred in the Anneessens district in the capital, Brussels.
Police officers arrest a protester in Brussels amid demonstrations following the police killing of Nahel in neighboring France Police officers arrest a protester in Brussels amid demonstrations following the police killing of Nahel in neighboring France
Police-related racial violence is also a sensitive issue in Belgium, as in FranceImage: Dursun Aydemir/AA/picture alliance
Like France, Belgium also has a large population of people from the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. Police-related racial violence is a pertinent issue in Belgium, with the death of a 23-year-old Black man in police custody sparking controversy in 2021.
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Skip next section Macron to hold emergency talks after unrest
10 hours ago10 hours ago
Macron to hold emergency talks after unrest
President Emmanuel Macron will be holding crisis talks on Friday following a third night of unrest.
Macron has been attending the European Union leaders summit in Brussels but will be cutting the trip short to chair the emergency meeting at 1:00 p.m. (1100 UTC/GMT)
Macron has condemned the killing of the 17-year-old which sparked the unrest, but has also spoken out against rioting. Other major French leaders, such as Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, have urged calm.
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Skip next section France arrests 667 people after third night of riots — interior minister
10 hours ago10 hours ago
France arrests 667 people after third night of riots — interior minister
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced a new wave of arrests on Friday, after the third night of riots caused by the police killing of a teenager.
“Last night, our police, gendarmes, and firefighters again courageously confronted rare violence. In line with my firm instructions, they made 667 arrests,” Darmanin tweeted early Friday.
The riots began on Tuesday, after video footage showed 17-year-old Nahel being shot by police at a traffic stop in the working-class suburb of Nanterre. Nahel was of Algerian descent.
The killing has sparked anger among those in France who feel there is systemic racism by the police and the judicial system towards ethnic groups such as Arabs and Blacks. The 38-year-old officer behind Nahel’s killing was arrested and is facing voluntary manslaughter charges.
