A week ago, a 17-year-old boy died after being shot by a policeman at a control in Nanterre, a neighborhood on the Parisian outskirts. This has unleashed a wave of riots and violence in the country that knows hardly any precedents.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FRANCE?
For a week the country has experienced a strong wave of riots that has left images of extreme violence: street fires, burned cars, attacks on public transport and buildings, such as city halls, police stations or schools. Also looting in shops, supermarkets or bank branches. In six days, 3,400 people linked to these acts have been arrested. There have been more than 2,000 fires in the street and attacks on hundreds of public buildings. There are 600 police officers and firefighters who have been injured.
WHAT CAUSED IT?
The death of Nahel, a 17-year-old boy, who was shot by an agent last Tuesday at a police checkpoint in Nanterre, a suburb on the French periphery. The young man was driving without a license at high speed in a bus lane when the policeman stopped him. The broadcast of a video in which you can see how he points the gun at her and then shoots her when the car starts moving, is what ignites the flame. His death unleashes anger in Nanterre, where he lived. This is first extended by the calls suburbpopular neighborhoods on the periphery of Paris, and then throughout the country, including the center of cities such as Paris, Lyon or Marseille. Some of the most violent scenes in recent days have been recorded in the latter city and the French government has had to deploy tanks in its streets.