The incident, captured on video, has sparked outrage and widespread public gatherings demanding justice.
To manage the escalating situation, France's elite police force, RAID, has been deployed in multiple cities, including Bordeaux, Lyon, Roubaix, Marseille, and Lille.
Tensions flared up between protesters and law enforcement, notably in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, where the young victim, identified as Nahel, tragically lost his life a few days prior. During a memorial march organized to honor Nahel's memory, violence broke out, leading to the setting of a bank on fire in Nanterre.
Similar confrontations occurred in the southern port city of Marseille, where protesters reportedly threw fireworks at police officers. In Lille, a prohibited protest resulted in fires burning on the streets, leading to the arrest of six individuals.
According to French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the total number of arrests during the nationwide protests stands at 421, with a significant majority of these arrests concentrated in the Paris region, specifically in the departments of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne.
The unrest initially began after a 17-year-old boy, Nahel M, of Algerian and Moroccan descent, was fatally shot by a police officer while attempting to flee a traffic stop.
The officer involved has stated that he fired the lethal shot to prevent a potential car chase, fearing for his safety and that of others due to alleged traffic violations committed by the teenager.
The situation remains tense as authorities and protesters clash, demanding accountability and answers in the wake of this tragic incident. Further developments are closely monitored as the nation grapples with this deeply sensitive issue. (ILKHA)