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NANTRENE (Reuters) – Violent protests rocked the Paris suburbs overnight and celebrities vented their outrage on Wednesday after police shot dead a boy at a traffic stop and appeared to lie about the circumstances of the killing.
The 17-year-old guy, his name only Nael MProsecutors said they were stopped by two policemen on Tuesday for violating traffic rules.
Police initially stated that an officer shot the teenager because he was driving towards him, but this version of events was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and endorsed by AFP.
The footage shows the two policemen standing next to the parked car and one of them pointing his gun at the driver. A voice was heard saying, “You will be shot in the head.”
It appears that the police officer fired at close range as the car was speeding off.
The car moved a few tens of meters before crashing. The driver died soon after.
His death sparked immediate protests in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris.
Boxes were also set on fire, and a fire broke out at a music school, while police tried to disperse the protesters with tear gas.
Then protests broke out in some nearby suburbs.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 31 people were arrested overnight, 24 police officers were slightly injured and some 40 cars were set on fire.
The 38-year-old policeman who was seen firing the fatal shot has been arrested and is under investigation for premeditated murder.
Nael M.’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said he will file a legal complaint against the policeman for premeditated murder, and against his colleague for complicity in the shooting.
The lawyer also said that he would file another complaint of perjury against the policemen for claiming that Nael M. Try to run them over.
There were two passengers in the car. One escaped and the other, also a teenager, was briefly detained.
Celebrities and some politicians expressed their disgust, concern and anger at the shooting.
Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French national football team and star player of Paris Saint-Germain, wrote in a tweet, “I am in pain for the French national team.”
Mbappe said: “An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the friends and family of Nael, that little angel who left us too soon.”
Actor Omar Sy, who is best known for his role in the films “Al Hassan” and “Lupin”, said on Twitter: “I hope that the justice that deserves this name will honor the memory of this child.”
Far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon said that “France no longer applies the death penalty,” and called for a “complete redesign of the police force.”
Darmanin – who has previously supported the police in similar situations – called the video “extremely shocking” in Parliament.
On Wednesday, he said the officer would be suspended “if the charges against him are maintained.”
The minister announced that 2,000 police officers would be deployed to deal with any further violence later on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old guy, his name only Nael MProsecutors said they were stopped by two policemen on Tuesday for violating traffic rules.
Police initially stated that an officer shot the teenager because he was driving towards him, but this version of events was contradicted by a video circulating on social media and endorsed by AFP.
The footage shows the two policemen standing next to the parked car and one of them pointing his gun at the driver. A voice was heard saying, “You will be shot in the head.”
It appears that the police officer fired at close range as the car was speeding off.
The car moved a few tens of meters before crashing. The driver died soon after.
His death sparked immediate protests in Nanterre, a western suburb of Paris.
Boxes were also set on fire, and a fire broke out at a music school, while police tried to disperse the protesters with tear gas.
Then protests broke out in some nearby suburbs.
On Wednesday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said 31 people were arrested overnight, 24 police officers were slightly injured and some 40 cars were set on fire.
The 38-year-old policeman who was seen firing the fatal shot has been arrested and is under investigation for premeditated murder.
Nael M.’s lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, said he will file a legal complaint against the policeman for premeditated murder, and against his colleague for complicity in the shooting.
The lawyer also said that he would file another complaint of perjury against the policemen for claiming that Nael M. Try to run them over.
There were two passengers in the car. One escaped and the other, also a teenager, was briefly detained.
Celebrities and some politicians expressed their disgust, concern and anger at the shooting.
Kylian Mbappe, captain of the French national football team and star player of Paris Saint-Germain, wrote in a tweet, “I am in pain for the French national team.”
Mbappe said: “An unacceptable situation. All my thoughts go to the friends and family of Nael, that little angel who left us too soon.”
Actor Omar Sy, who is best known for his role in the films “Al Hassan” and “Lupin”, said on Twitter: “I hope that the justice that deserves this name will honor the memory of this child.”
Far-left politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon said that “France no longer applies the death penalty,” and called for a “complete redesign of the police force.”
Darmanin – who has previously supported the police in similar situations – called the video “extremely shocking” in Parliament.
On Wednesday, he said the officer would be suspended “if the charges against him are maintained.”
The minister announced that 2,000 police officers would be deployed to deal with any further violence later on Wednesday.
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