PARIS: Violent protests shook Paris suburbs overnight and celebrities expressed outrage on Wednesday after police shot dead a teenager during a traf-fic stop and appeared to have lied about the circumstances of the killing.
The 17-year-old teen, named only as Nael M., was pulled over by two policemen on Tuesday for breaking traffic rules, prosecutors said.
Police initially reported that one officer shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him, but this version of events was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP.
The footage shows the two policemen standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”
The police officer appears to fire point blank as the car abruptly drives off. The car moved a few dozen metres before crashing. The driver died shortly after.
His death sparked immediate protests in Nanterre, a western Paris suburb.
Bins were also set alight and a fire broke out at a music school, while police tried to disperse the protesters with teargas. Protests then broke out in some neighbouring suburbs.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Wednesday that 31 people had been arrested overnight, 24 police slightly injured and around 40 cars torched.
The 38-year-old policeman seen firing the lethal shot was taken into custody and is under investigation for voluntary manslaughter.
Nael M’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said he would file a legal complaint against the policeman for voluntary manslaughter, and against his colleague for complicity in the shooting.
The lawyer also said that he would file a further complaint for false testimony against the policemen for claiming that Nael M. had tried to run them over. There were two passengers in the car — one ran off and the other, also a teenager, was briefly detained.
Celebrities and some politicians voiced disgust, concern and outrage at the shooting.
French President Emmanuel Macron termed the incident “inexplicable” and “unforgivable”.
“A teenager was killed. That is inexplicable and unforgivable,” Macron said during a visit to the Mediterranean city Marseille, saying the case had “moved the entire nation” and expressing “respect and affection” for the family of the victim.
“I am hurting for my France,” Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French men’s national football team and star player at the Paris Saint-Germain club.
“An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the friends and family of Nael, that little angel who left us far too soon,” Mbappe said. –Agencies
