Rioters in France have been urged to halt their destructive activities by the grandmother of a French-Algerian teenager who was killed by police. The country is bracing itself for a sixth consecutive night of anarchy.
In a phone interview with BFMTV, the woman identified as ‘Nadia’ pleaded with the rioters to stop their spree of looting and destruction. She said, “I say to the people who are breaking things: stop. Don’t break windows, don’t smash up schools, don’t smash up buses. Stop it, there are moms on buses, there are moms walking outside.” Nadia further condemned the rioters for using her grandson’s death as an excuse for breaking the law, emphasizing that both the rioters and the policeman who shot her grandson would face justice.
The riots began after police in the Paris suburb of Nanterre shot and killed a 17-year-old Franco-Algerian boy named Nahel M. when he refused to comply at a traffic stop. Despite the swift arrest and charging of the officer involved in the shooting, the incident sparked widespread violence across France. The unrest has also spilled over into Belgium and Switzerland.
Primarily led by youths from immigrant backgrounds, the protests have escalated to dangerous levels. Rioters have used a vehicle to ram the home of Vincent Jeanbrun, the mayor of L’Hay-les-Roses, before attempting to set the house on fire while Jeanbrun’s family was inside. Additionally, rioters have attacked police officers with fireworks and molotov cocktails, and some have been seen brandishing military-grade firearms.
Despite the deployment of 45,000 police officers and more than 2,800 rioters being arrested, the disturbances continue to persist. However, the French interior ministry reported a decrease in the number of arrests from 1,300 on Friday night to 719 on Saturday night. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that the average age of those arrested is 17.
The continuing violence led French President Emmanuel Macron to postpone his planned visit to Germany on Saturday. Several European countries, including the UK, have advised their citizens to avoid traveling to the affected areas. Macron has faced criticism for his handling of the riots, with two major police unions calling for a harsh crackdown on the “violent minorities” rampaging in the streets.
As the riots continue, tension and uncertainty persist in France. The grandmother’s plea for an end to the violence serves as a reminder that the death of her grandson should not be used as an excuse for criminal activities. The hope is for a resolution to be reached, where justice is served, and peace can be restored.
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