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PARIS (Reuters) – The collection of belongings of a French policeman who sparked riots across the country last week by shooting a teenager reached more than 986,000 euros ($1.07 million) on Monday, slashing donations to the victim’s family.
More than 40,000 people have pledged money to the official’s online fund, which was set up by a far-right media commentator on Gofundme.com.
The collection easily surpassed the €189,000 raised for the family of the dead 17-year-old. NaelHe is of North African descent and lives with his mother on a housing estate in a western suburb of Paris.
Nael’s grandmother said she was “sad” because of the support he gave the policeman.
“It took the life of my grandson. This guy has to pay, like everyone else,” she told BFM on Sunday.
“I have faith in the justice system. I believe in justice.”
The shooting, during a traffic stop, exposed deep political divisions in France.
Many right-wing figures seek to defend the security forces, while left-wingers see the death as a result of systemic racism in the police.
The widespread rioting and looting since Tuesday appears to have deepened the polarization.
Politicians from the ruling centrist party and from the left condemned the police roundup, which was launched by far-right commentator Jean Messiha – himself a close associate of anti-Islam politician Eric Zemmour.
“Jean Messiha is playing with fire,” wrote ruling party MP Eric Bothorel on Twitter, calling it “indecent and scandalous”.
Chairman of the Socialist Party Olivier Fauremessaged Gofundme, saying they were facilitating a “shameful” group.
Far-left MP Mathilde Bannot highlighted how the authorities shut down a group of a former boxer who punched several police officers during anti-government demonstrations in 2019 with the title “yellow vest”.
“Killing a young man from North Africa, in France in 2023, can earn you a lot of money,” she wrote.
Messiha, commentator for right-wing channel CNews and former adviser to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, celebrated on Twitter when his fund surpassed that of the Nahil family over the weekend.
On releasing the kit, he said it was for an officer who “does his job and pays dearly”.
The right-wing Republican party leader, Eric Ciotti, defended the initiative on Monday and said he might contribute.
He said the officer’s family “is facing difficulties.”
The 38-year-old policeman, who was named in the French media as Florian M. He was charged with premeditated murder.
In a video of the shooting, he can be seen with a colleague stopping a yellow Mercedes that Nahil was driving without a license in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning.
The officer draws his weapon and shoots Nael at close range as the car drives away.
Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne said the operation was “clearly not in keeping with the rules of engagement for the police”.
Florian M. is also facing charges of making false statements, after he initially claimed that he opened fire when Nahil advanced on him.
Another teen in the car told the media after the incident that the officers hit Nael with the butts of their rifles before opening fire.
A voice can be heard in the video saying, “You’re going to get shot in the head.”
More than 40,000 people have pledged money to the official’s online fund, which was set up by a far-right media commentator on Gofundme.com.
The collection easily surpassed the €189,000 raised for the family of the dead 17-year-old. NaelHe is of North African descent and lives with his mother on a housing estate in a western suburb of Paris.
Nael’s grandmother said she was “sad” because of the support he gave the policeman.
“It took the life of my grandson. This guy has to pay, like everyone else,” she told BFM on Sunday.
“I have faith in the justice system. I believe in justice.”
The shooting, during a traffic stop, exposed deep political divisions in France.
Many right-wing figures seek to defend the security forces, while left-wingers see the death as a result of systemic racism in the police.
The widespread rioting and looting since Tuesday appears to have deepened the polarization.
Politicians from the ruling centrist party and from the left condemned the police roundup, which was launched by far-right commentator Jean Messiha – himself a close associate of anti-Islam politician Eric Zemmour.
“Jean Messiha is playing with fire,” wrote ruling party MP Eric Bothorel on Twitter, calling it “indecent and scandalous”.
Chairman of the Socialist Party Olivier Fauremessaged Gofundme, saying they were facilitating a “shameful” group.
Far-left MP Mathilde Bannot highlighted how the authorities shut down a group of a former boxer who punched several police officers during anti-government demonstrations in 2019 with the title “yellow vest”.
“Killing a young man from North Africa, in France in 2023, can earn you a lot of money,” she wrote.
Messiha, commentator for right-wing channel CNews and former adviser to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, celebrated on Twitter when his fund surpassed that of the Nahil family over the weekend.
On releasing the kit, he said it was for an officer who “does his job and pays dearly”.
The right-wing Republican party leader, Eric Ciotti, defended the initiative on Monday and said he might contribute.
He said the officer’s family “is facing difficulties.”
The 38-year-old policeman, who was named in the French media as Florian M. He was charged with premeditated murder.
In a video of the shooting, he can be seen with a colleague stopping a yellow Mercedes that Nahil was driving without a license in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning.
The officer draws his weapon and shoots Nael at close range as the car drives away.
Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne said the operation was “clearly not in keeping with the rules of engagement for the police”.
Florian M. is also facing charges of making false statements, after he initially claimed that he opened fire when Nahil advanced on him.
Another teen in the car told the media after the incident that the officers hit Nael with the butts of their rifles before opening fire.
A voice can be heard in the video saying, “You’re going to get shot in the head.”
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