At least 667 people, mostly young people between 14 and 18 years old, were arrested in the third consecutive night of unrest in France, with scenes of chaos and looting in several cities following the death of a 17-year-old teenager Nahel at the hands of police on Tuesday.
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A large police contingent in Lille, in the north of France, where three nights of violence have left municipal town halls burned or stoned, looting and damage, lashed out against the demonstrators.
The National Police said Thursday night that its forces faced new incidents in the cities of Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse and Lille, including arson and fireworks-throwing protesters.
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/French-Police-Attack-Rallies-in-Memory-of-Nahel-in-Nanterre-20230629-0012.html
Anticipating another turbulent night, the government deployed 40,000 agents across the country who, at around 03H00 (01H00 GMT), had already made at least 667 arrests.
Department stores, restaurant chains and banks were also affected, as was the case with a branch of the Credit Mutel bank, located in Nanterre, Nahel’s birthplace.
Violence erupted on Tuesday on the outskirts of Paris and spread to other parts of France after the death of 17-year-old Nahel, shot at point-blank range by an officer at a roadblock that was recorded on video.
During a march organized by Nahel’s mother, who carried a banner with the slogan “Police Kills,” thousands of people chanted phrases such as “Killer Police” and demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.