french protestsViolent protests continue across France over the police shooting death of a 17-year-old driver, with seven people detained in similar demonstrations in a Swiss town as protesters set fire to shops in an ‘echo’ of French unrest resorted to breaking windows.
According to police, more than 100 people gathered in Lausanne, located in the French-speaking western part of the Swiss region, apparently responding to social media appeals regarding violent protests taking place in France.
The AP reported that police said several store windows and a store door were smashed, while protesters threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at officers. Of the seven protesters detained, six were teenagers aged 15 to 17, as well as a 24-year-old Swiss man. No police officer was injured during the demonstration.
France is in chaos after a teenage delivery driver was shot dead by a police officer in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. Several videos on social media showed youths riding expensive sports bikes, breaking into iPhone stores and looting, throwing shells at police and setting fires across the country, including in the cities of Marseille and Lyon.
France is facing one of its worst riots in years. French police deployed more than 45,000 troops across the country in an attempt to quell the growing unrest, amid a serious law and order crisis. Some officers were called back from leave. Police fired tear gas at protesters, while all public buses and trams have been closed since Friday following orders from Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
According to the Guardian, a provisional count of 719 arrests overnight was announced by the Interior Ministry on Sunday morning, compared to 1,300 arrested on Friday, as well as 45 officers injured, 577 vehicles set ablaze, 74 buildings Fires were lit and 871 fires were lit in the streets. and other public places across France
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to postpone his state visit to Germany. The German president’s office said the visit would be rescheduled as soon as possible.
On Tuesday, officers tried to pull over 17-year-old Nahel because he appeared to be too young and was driving a Mercedes with Polish license plates in the bus lane. He allegedly ran a red light to avoid being stopped and then got stuck in traffic.
The police officer accused of pulling the trigger was initially charged with voluntary manslaughter after Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache said that his preliminary investigation had led him to conclude that the officer’s use of his weapon was not legally justified. The officer has been placed in preliminary custody.
(with agency inputs)
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