Rabat – Renowned American newspaper The New York Times denounced the police violence in France that is stoking anger in the European country.
The killing of a 17-year-old boy by a police officer in a Paris suburb has “inflamed long-simmering anger in suburbs where relations between the police and residents are often fraught with mistrust,” the NYT wrote on Wednesday.
The tragic incident resulted in “a night of violence and fueled a longstanding debate on the use of deadly force by the country’s security forces.”
Following the murder of a 17-year-old in Nanterre on Tuesday at the hands of a police officer, the Parisian suburb shook with violent protests calling for justice.
Videos shared on social media show protesters setting vehicles ablaze, and French media reports indicate that public property sustained significant damage as the clashes between protesters and security forces continued well into the night.
Overnight, police forces have arrested 13 individuals. A number of protesters report having sustained injury due to police violence, with one person, who was injured in the eye during the clashes, claiming to have been shot by a LBD (defense ball launcher).
The police officer, who claims that the shooting was justified, is currently in police custody despite not officially being charged. Reports indicate that a video documenting the incident contradicts the police officer’s version of events.
In the video, one of the officers leans against the windshield, pointing a gun at the driver and firing at point-blank range as the driver starts to move again.
The video prompted accusations of police brutality and human rights abuses, leading the prosecutors in Nanterre to initiate a manslaughter investigation, according to The New York Times.
The family of the deceased boy has announced its intention to press charges, accusing the police officer of murder.
The tragedy has garnered attention throughout France, including from prominent figures. Actor Omar Sy and footballer Kylian Mbappe have both expressed their support for the boy’s family on social media.
“I ache for my France,” tweeted Mbappe, denouncing the incident as an “unacceptable situation.”
J’ai mal à ma France.
Une situation inacceptable.
Tout mes pensées vont pour la famille et les proches de Naël, ce petit ange parti beaucoup trop tôt.— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 28, 2023
French President, Emmanuel Macron, also joined the voiced condescending the crime, saying that he wants “justice to be served” adding that “Nothing, absolutely nothing, justifies the death of a young person,” while referring to “the emotion of the entire nation.”
Read Also: Police Brutal Killing of Teenager Ignites Tensions in France
