A French policeman has been charged with homicide after a teenager was killed during a traffic stop near Paris on Tuesday. The 17-year-old was shot at point-blank range and crashed soon afterwards. Anger after the killing has sparked violence and unrest across the country.
In a third night of this unrest, 667 people were arrested. There were many clashes during a march on Thursday afternoon, it was led by the boy’s mother. Shops in Paris were ransacked and cars were set on fire overnight, despite a heavy police presence. 40,000 police officers were deployed across France, 249 of them were injured in Wednesday night’s clashes. Bus and train services in Paris and the wider region stopped operating at 21:00 local time on Thursday and night-time curfews were in place in some suburbs. Officers were also injured on Thursday afternoon after a largely peaceful march of more than 6,000 people ended in violence. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said she understood the emotions, but condemned the riots. The incident has sparked a conversation about the power of the police and the relationship between authorities and people from France’s suburbs.
Read More: France Policeman charged over teen’s traffic stop death
