The French government says hundreds more have been arrested after a fifth night of rioting sparked by the police killing of a 17-year-old, as police deployed reinforcements to flashpoint cities around the country.
Protesters – mostly minors – have torched cars, damaged infrastructure and clashed with police in an outpouring of rage since an officer shot Nahel M. at point blank as he attempted to flee a traffic stop on Tuesday.
The killing was captured on video, which spread on social media and fuelled the anger over police violence against minorities, exposing severe racial tensions in France.
A day after Nahel was laid to rest in his home town of Nanterre near Paris, the interior ministry said police had made 719 arrests overnight – still a provisional tally – after around 1,300 the previous night.
Some 45 police officers or gendarmes were injured, 577 vehicles torched, 74 buildings set on fire and 871 fires set in streets and other public spaces, it said.
While nationwide numbers suggested an overall decline in tension across the country, police still recorded a number of incidents.
'Horror and disgrace'
The mayor of a town south of Paris said rioters had rammed a car into his home, injuring his wife and one of his children, and set a fire.
Vincent Jeanbrun, mayor of l'Haÿ-les-Roses, said "Last night the horror and disgrace reached a new level," as prosecutors have opened an investigation into the incident for attempted murder.
Some 45,000 police were deployed across France – the same number as the night before – and backup was dispatched to the previous days' flashpoints, including Lyon, Grenoble and Marseille.
Of the total, 7,000 were concentrated on Paris and its suburbs – including along tourist hotspot the Champs Elysees avenue in central Paris – following calls on social media to take rioting to the heart of the capital.
.@GDarmanin, avec @NunezLaurent, aux côtés des policiers et pompiers de la @prefpolice pour les assurer de leur soutien : ils sont mobilisés pour la 5e soirée pour maintenir l’ordre et la paix publics. pic.twitter.com/rI062tnF3B
— Préfecture de Police (@prefpolice) July 1, 2023
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the massive police presence had helped keep the violence in check.
"A calmer night thanks to the resolute action of the security forces," he tweeted early Sunday.
This comes as a number of towns declared overnight curfews.
In a bid to limit the ongoing violence, buses and trams in France have stopped running after 9.00 pm and the sale of large fireworks and inflammable liquids has been banned.
The protests present a fresh crisis for President Emmanuel Macron who had been hoping to press on with his second mandate after seeing off months of protests that erupted in January over raising the pensions age.
In an illustration of the situation's gravity he postponed a state visit to Germany scheduled to begin Sunday.
👮🇫🇷 At least 719 people were arrested during the 5th night of #FranceRiots on Saturday night following #Nahel's funeral.
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) July 2, 2023
The level of violence appeared to have declined since anger first broke out after he was fatally shot by police in Nanterre Tuesday.@leomcguinn👇 pic.twitter.com/vQsFJ49yGI
International concern
The unrest has raised concerns abroad, with France hosting the Rugby World Cup in the autumn and the Paris Olympic Games in the summer of 2024.
Britain and other European countries updated their travel advice to warn tourists to stay away from areas affected by the rioting.
China's consulate in Marseille similarly warned its citizens to "be vigilant and exercise caution" after state-run media reported the pelting with stones of a bus carrying Chinese tourists in the southern city.
A 38-year-old policeman has been charged with voluntary homicide over Nahel's death and has been remanded in custody.
On Friday, the UN human rights office said that the killing of the teen of North African descent was "a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement".
The French said any suggestion of systemic discrimination in the police force was "totally unfounded".
