The interior ministry announced on Monday that over 150 people were arrested overnight in France in connection with the violent protests that have erupted following the killing of a 17-year-old teenager by a police officer during a traffic stop. At the same time, mayors across France called on public and elected officials to gather for a rally against the week-long riots. There are initial signs of the unrest starting to ease, with fewer arrests and a decrease in violence.
After five nights of violent protests, relative calm was observed overnight, with the interior ministry reporting the lowest number of arrests in recent days. This comes after more than 700 arrests the previous night and over 1,300 on Friday night.
To suppress the unrest, the government deployed up to 45,000 police officers across the country overnight on Sunday. The protests began following the fatal shooting of Nahel, a 17-year-old of North African descent, by a police officer during a traffic stop.
The ministry reported that three police officers were injured, and Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin stated that a 24-year-old firefighter died while trying to extinguish burning vehicles in an underground car park near Paris. However, it remains unclear if this incident is directly linked to the protests, and an investigation is underway to determine the circumstances of the burning vehicles.
In a statement, an association of French mayors expressed that “serious unrest, which targets republican symbols with extreme violence,” is occurring throughout the country. This statement comes after an attack on the home of conservative mayor Vincent Jeanbrun in L’Hay-les-Roses, just outside Paris.
According to reports, attackers rammed a car into Jeanbrun’s home in an apparent attempt to set it on fire. Lawmakers from various political spectrums, including left-wing politicians, have condemned this act. The incident took place while Jeanbrun’s wife and their five and seven-year-old children were at home, while the mayor was at the town hall dealing with the ongoing violent protests. Prosecutors have opened an investigation into attempted murder, as Jeanbrun’s wife suffered a badly injured leg and a broken leg.
In an interview following the incident, Jeanbrun expressed his shock, stating that it was clear the attackers intended to burn down the house. He described how when they realized someone was inside, instead of stopping, they launched fireworks mortars. He added, “I never would have imagined that my family would be threatened with death.”
French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to address both chambers of parliament on Monday and meet with mayors from more than 220 towns affected by the recent protests on Tuesday. Macron had postponed his visit to Germany, originally scheduled for Sunday, due to the ongoing riots.
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