The brother of Adama Traoré, a Black Frenchman who died under police custody in 2016, was hospitalized after getting arrested on Saturday during protests held in memorial of his late brother, a Paris prosecutor said on Sunday. 

Adama died in 2016 of asphyxiation after police officers pinned him down to the ground, similar to how George Floyd was killed by American cops back in 2020. Despite his family taking Adama's case to court, no charges were made. 

The protests annually held in remembrance of Adama were reportedly banned by the Val-d’Oise police prefect office on Saturday, which cited trouble to public order as a pretext, justifying that there was a risk of "disruptive elements" ensuing. 

But the ban did not stop protesters from gathering, especially after the death of 17-year-old Nahel Marzouk sparked nationwide protests in late June.

Youssouf Traoré, the brother of the late Adama Traoré, was among the crowd of roughly 2,000 people who gathered on Saturday to protest against police brutality.

Police sources say Youssouf sustained injuries in his eye during the arrest and was taken to hospital shortly after becoming sick under police custody. 

He was arrested on charges of violence against law enforcers, but the charges were quickly lifted after he fell ill. 

The moment of his arrest was filmed by several witnesses who showed him resisting and being held face down by several police officers.

The prosecutor said the charges could be reinstated once Youssouf is discharged from the hospital.

As of now, no details on his condition have been provided. 

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His lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, told AFP that he spent the night in hospital, but no updates had been given on his condition. Bouzrou has still not spoken to Traoré, he added. 

Several left-leaning associations, unions, and political parties called for him and another person to be released. 

The killing of 17-year-old Nahel Marzouk at the hands of police in Hauts-de-Seine took place on June 27, which left France in unrest as overnight protests roamed the country.

On June 30, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the French government to "seriously address the deep problems of racism and discrimination in law enforcement" after Nahel was killed.

In response to these comments, the French Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the remarks that were issued by a UN committee are "excessive" and "unfounded."

"Any ethnic profiling by law enforcement is banned in France," the Foreign Ministry said, noting that "the struggle against excesses in racial profiling has intensified."

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