719 protesters arrested in fifth night of protests in France
- Mayor’s home attacked and set on fire during ongoing unrest in France, resulting in injuries to his wife and one of his children.
- Protests continue for the fifth night following the shooting death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk, sparking debate over policing in marginalized communities and raising questions about racial factors.
- 719 people arrested during the latest night of protests, a decrease from the previous day’s total of 994 arrests.
- 45 police and gendarmes injured, and significant damage reported, including 74 damaged buildings and 577 vehicles set on fire.
- China warns its citizens in France to remain vigilant and urges French authorities to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and property amid the unrest. A bus carrying Chinese tourists in Marseille had its windows smashed, resulting in minor injuries.
The mayor of a Paris suburb declared that his home was attacked in the early hours of Sunday morning, calling it an “attack” on his family amid ongoing unrest in the country.
“At 1:30 a.m. [local time], while I was at the town hall like the last three nights, individuals rammed their car into my residence before setting it on fire to burn my house, inside which my wife and two young children were sleeping,” the mayor of L’Haÿ-les-Roses, a municipality on the southern outskirts of Paris, Vincent Jeanbrun, said in a statement.
“While trying to protect the children and escape the attackers, my wife and one of my children were injured.”
Jeanbrun said he did not have “words strong enough to describe his emotion in the face of tonight’s horror” and thanked the police and rescue services for their help.
France has been rocked by a wave of protests following the death of Nahel Merzouk, a 17-year-old of Algerian descent who was shot by a police officer in Nanterre earlier this week and whose funeral was held Saturday at a Nanterre mosque amid heavy security.
Funeral of French teenager held after more than 1,300 people arrested during fourth night of protests
Nearly 900 arrested over protests in France
Around 900 protesters have been arrested after a 17-year-old was killed by police in France pic.twitter.com/ZTgBwkj8TY
— No Jumper (@nojumper) July 1, 2023
The young man’s death has reignited debate over policing in France’s marginalized communities and raised questions about whether race was a factor in his death.
His mother, Mounia, told France 5 television on Friday that she blamed her son’s death only on the officer who shot him. Nonetheless, the killing has sparked widespread destructive unrest.
Hundreds arrested
As the French government deployed security and riot forces across the country, the unrest continued with another night of protests.
A total of 719 people were arrested across France during the fifth night of protests following the shooting death of a teenager by a police officer, according to a provisional tally by the Interior Ministry on Sunday.
The number of people arrested is lower than the previous day, when 994 people were detained overnight from Friday to Saturday, the ministry said.
In its statement, the ministry said 45 police and gendarmes were injured overnight in the unrest.
It also said 74 buildings were damaged, including 26 police and gendarmerie stations, which were set on fire. A total of 577 vehicles were also set on fire, he added.
Many of those arrested since the riots began on Tuesday are minors, with an average age of 17, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
China warns its citizens in France to be vigilant
China warned its citizens in France to be vigilant after a bus carrying a group of Chinese tourists in the southern city of Marseille had its windows smashed, resulting in several minor injuries, China’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement Sunday.
China’s consulate general in Marseille filed an official complaint to France and urged French authorities to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and property amid the unrest.
The ministry did not specify when the incident occurred or how many people were injured. All the tourists in the group left France.
In its statement, China also reminded its citizens to “pay close attention to the local social security situation, stay away from violent demonstrations and clashes, and strengthen the safeguarding of the security of people, vehicles, residences and stores.”
France Riots Escalate Following Teen’s Death: Over 700 Arrested