Accessibility links

Breaking News

Unrest Erupts in France Again in Response to Police Shooting of Teen


Crews extinguish vehicle fires during clashes between protesters and police, after the death of a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer during a traffic stop, in Nanterre, France, June 28, 2023.
Crews extinguish vehicle fires during clashes between protesters and police, after the death of a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer during a traffic stop, in Nanterre, France, June 28, 2023.

French officials said Thursday that authorities arrested 150 people in connection with unrest in Paris and other cities as protesters rallied against the police killing of a teenager earlier this week.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the arrests in a tweet in which he said, “Shame on those who did not call for calm.”

"A night of intolerable violence against symbols of the republic, with town halls, schools and police stations set on fire or attacked," Darmanin said.

In addition to Paris, protests have hit Toulouse, Dijon, Lyon and other areas, as activists call attention to what they say is systemic abuse by police particularly in disadvantaged areas.

The killing of the 17-year-old identified only by his first name, Nael, happened Tuesday during a traffic stop in Nanterre.

The teenager’s mother called for a march Thursday in his honor.

French President Emmanuel Macron has said the shooting was “unexplainable and inexcusable.” He called for an emergency meeting of his ministers Thursday.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.

  • 16x9 Image

    VOA News

    The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.

XS
SM
MD
LG