At least 18 arrested in France as teen’s shooting death by police sparks outrage
At least 18 protesters have been arrested in France following the shooting death of a 17-year-old delivery driver by police in a Paris suburb, El.kz cites Anadolu.
People took to the streets in several parts of the country including Nanterre, Lyon, Lille, Toulouse and Viry-Chatillon over the death of Nahel M. in Nanterre early Tuesday.
They set fire to vehicles, bins and public property in some areas. In the cities of Toulouse and Lille, protesters threw rocks at police officers, who responded with tear gas to disperse them.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced Wednesday that he will take legal action against a police union after it posted a tweet attempting to justify the killing of the 17-year-old.
“#Nanterre Congratulations to the colleagues who opened fire on a young 17-year-old criminal. By neutralizing his vehicle, they protected their lives and the users of the road. The only one responsible for the death of this thug are his parents, unable to educate their son," said the group called “France Police.” The tweet was later deleted.
"The small group France Police, which is in no way a representative union of the national police ... published an unacceptable and abject tweet," Darmanin said in a statement.
He requested an official report through Pharos, the web platform of the French Ministry of the Interior, which allows Internet users to report online hate messages published on social networks, and plans to involve the Public Prosecutor of Paris under Article 40 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
He also ordered his services to explore options for dissolving the syndicate.
Nahel was shot dead by police after he broke traffic laws and failed to stop, according to prosecutors.
His death sparked protests in Nanterre, leading to overnight clashes between demonstrators and police.
The 38-year-old police officer who killed Nahel was detained by the General Inspectorate of the National Police (IGPN) as part of the investigation into the intentional homicide by the Nanterre prosecutor’s office.
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