Nael M. was shot during a traffic stop and the police appeared to lie about the circumstances of the shooting.
France braced for more violent protests on Wednesday after police fatally shot a teenager.
Nael M. was shot during a traffic stop and the police appeared to lie about the circumstances of the shooting.
The gunshot caused riots in numerous Paris neighbourhoods overnight
Celebrities and politicians voiced indignation and grief after the 17-year-old’s death, while the government urged calm.
Prosecutors claimed the adolescent, identified only as Nael M., was pulled over by two police officers on Tuesday for violating traffic laws.
Police initially stated that one officer shot at the youngster because he was driving his car at him.
This account of events was disputed by a video that circulated on social media and was verified by AFP.
The video shows the two cops standing by the side of the stopped car, one of them is pointing a firearm at the driver.
A voice can be heard saying, “You are going to get a bullet in the head”.
As the automobile abruptly speeds away, the police officer appears to fire point blank.
Before crashing, the automobile moved a few dozen meters. Shortly later, the driver perished.
His death provoked outrage in Nanterre, a western Paris suburb.
Bins were set on fire, and a fire broke out at a music school, while police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.
Protests then erupted in some nearby suburbs.
According to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, 31 persons were arrested overnight, 24 police officers were slightly hurt, and roughly 40 automobiles were set on fire.
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Darmanin also stated that 2,000 police officers will be dispatched to deal with any additional unrest later Wednesday.
Voluntary Manslaughter
During Wednesday’s weekly cabinet meeting, President Emmanuel Macron expressed “emotion” about the incident.
A government spokesperson, Olivier Veran, called for “calm” on behalf of the government.
The 38-year-old police officer who was filmed firing the fatal shot was arrested and is being investigated for voluntary manslaughter.
Yassine Bouzrou, Nael M’s lawyer, said he would file a further court complaint against the officer for voluntary homicide, as well as against his colleague for involvement in the killing.
The lawyer stated that he would file a new false testimony charge against the cops for stating that Nael M. tried to run them over.
There were two people in the automobile. One fled away, while the other, also a teen, was temporarily held.
Celebrities and politicians expressed their anger, concern, and outrage at the shooting.
“I’m hurting for my France,” said Kylian Mbappe, captain of France’s men’s national team and top player for Paris Saint-Germain.
“This is an unacceptable situation. My thoughts are with Nael’s friends and family, that little angel who left us far too soon,” Mbappe added.
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On Twitter, actor Omar Sy, best known for his part in the film “The Intouchables” and the TV show “Lupin,” wrote, “I hope that justice worthy of the name will honor the memory of this child”.
Police Becoming Like America
“What I see on this video is the execution by police of a 17-year-old kid, in France, in 2023, in broad daylight. Green Party leader Marine Tondelier said.
“I heard a policeman lie, his colleague lie, the prosecutor lie, and the media lie” before the video’s release.
“You get the feeling that our police is becoming like America.”
Jean-Luc Melenchon, a far-left politician, declared that “France no longer has the death penalty” and called for a “complete redesign of the police force”.
Darmanin, who has previously supported police in similar cases, described the video footage as “extremely shocking” in parliament.
He stated on Wednesday that the cop will be suspended “if the charges against him are upheld”.
Meanwhile, the gunman was described as a “seasoned police sergeant who had the trust of his superiors” by Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez.
In France in 2022, a record 13 persons were killed after refusing to stop for police traffic checks.
