Rapidly spreading riots in France over the death of a young man are not just protests against police brutality, but also reflect anger over government support for Ukraine while attacking pension rights, a war correspondent believes, according to Sputnik news agency.
The youth, of Algerian descent, was stopped by police in a car he used as a takeaway food delivery driver. When he tried to flee, one officer opened fire and killed Nahel.
Brussels-based war correspondent Elijah J. Magnier told Sputnik that the shooting was "murder."
"The police in France are trying to imitate the police in the US without having the same constitution and the same right of opening fire there," Magnier said. "But this is not the first time, unfortunately. In 2022, 15 youngsters were killed by the police, more or less" for allegedly resisting arrest.
Public transport is set to be suspended across France from 9pm local time, as officials race to avert a fourth night of riots, other media reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron blames social media for spreading unrest and says some protesters are exploiting the teen’s death, Al-Jazeera reported.
Macron appealed to parents and social media firms to end riots.
The French president ids a third of those arrested during the rioting are ‘very young’ people who are ‘intoxicated’ by video games.
Appealing to social media firms, Macron said, “Platforms and networks are playing a major role in the events of recent days.”
French police will use armoured vehicles to suppress riots, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said.
“Additional mobile forces” would be deployed along with the vehicles belonging to France’s gendarmerie, Borne said, also announcing the cancellation of “large-scale events binding personnel and potentially posing risks to public order”.
MNA/PR
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