Paris police wards off protesters at Arc de Triomphe

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Jul 2023 09:23
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Though some of the protesters were stopped and searched, no arrests were made at the scene.

France witnessed a fifth night of riots amid high public anger over the fatal shooting of a teen by a policeman (AP)

An RIA Novosti reporter said on Sunday that the police in Paris warded off people that were gathered at the Arc de Triomphe late Saturday in means of averting the holding of a rally there.

After calls were issued on social media for a rally to be held there, about 3,000 people gathered at the landmark monument. The police intervened to prevent their gathering and pushed the protesters towards the Champs Elysees.

Though some of the protesters were stopped and searched, no arrests were made, the correspondent said.

The interior ministry reported that as of 1:30 am on Sunday, 322 people had been detained in connection with unrest across France, even though it looked that the violence prompted by the deadly police shooting of a teenager was abating.

According to a preliminary count, 126 persons were detained in the Paris region, 56 in Marseille, and 21 in Lyon.

On Saturday, France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that 45,000 law enforcers would be deployed to ensure security in regions where social unrest is taking place.

Overnight, about 450 people were detained across the nation overnight. 300 of them are in Paris alone.

The rallies are being held over the murder of 17-year-old Nahel M. on Tuesday. Nahel was shot in the chest at point-blank range in the western region of Paris after he was pulled over for allegedly breaking traffic rules in a yellow Mercedes. His mother called for a march in tribute to her only child. Nahel's funeral was held yesterday in a Paris suburb in Nanterre.

The police officer responsible for the shooting was accused and held in jail pending trial, according to prosecutors. The investigating magistrate accused the officer of voluntary murder and placed him on temporary arrest following the event.

Observers say that the events have uncovered severe racial tensions in France as protestors accuse authorities of targeting minorities.

On Friday, Darmanin told French broadcaster TF1 TV that over 45,000 police officers were involved in operations to contain the protests. About 300 police officers and gendarmes were injured within the first three days of protests in the country.

On Friday, 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.

French authorities arrested 1,311 protestors in the period ranging from Friday night to Saturday morning, marking the highest number of arrests since Nahel was murdered in cold blood in Nanterre, Paris.

The fatal police shooting sparked riots across the country. Violent protesters have clashed with police and set fire to public buildings and vehicles. Hundreds of protesters have been detained.