John Adoyi, PBA Journalism Mentee
The president of France, Emmanuel Macron has called for an emergency meeting of Government officials on Friday, as protest over the death of Nahel, a teenager that was killed by French Police last June 27 entered its third night with no sign of stoppage.
President Macron who initially condemned the fatal shooting by calling it “inexplicable” and “inexcusable” is currently attending a summit in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. He will cut short his trip to chair the meeting that will hold by 11 GMT (12 PM, Nigeria time), his office said.
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A 17-year-old Nahel was killed on Tuesday morning in Nanterre, a town in the French capital, Paris at a traffic stop by a Police officer who pulled him over for an alleged traffic violation.
The Police initially stated that Nahel drove his car at Police officers while he was being asked to stop but a video that was shared on Social media countered the claim. The video which sparked the protest showed Nahel driving off before he was shot. The video also showed an officer pointing a gun at the car while telling the driver “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”
The shooting which has led to protests in different parts of the European country for a third night has seen the government deploy 40 thousand Police officers in different cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse and Lille to bring the situation under control. The country’s Ministry of Interior reported that over 600 persons have been arrested in connection to violent clashes that have led to injuring of over 200 Police officers and the burning of vehicles while public and private buildings, businesses including shopping centres and hotels have been burnt down and looted.
According to France 24, a Police station in the city of Pau was targeted by protesters on Thursday night and a Primary school and a district office were set on fire in Lille.
In the city centre of Marseille, a library was vandalised, according to local officials. While In the suburb of Drancy, protesters looted and burnt a shopping centre, Police said.
Also, in the town of Roubaix, firefighters were sent to put out the fire that almost burned down a hotel. While in Nanterre, the main centre of the protest, AFP reported that tensions rose around midnight, with fireworks and explosives set off in the Pablo Picasso district, where Nahel had lived.
