A new case of police abuse shocked (and sparked) French society. adolescent Nahel M., 17 years olddied Tuesday morning after receiving a letter close range shot in a vehicle during Police control in Nanterrepopulation in the northwest of the region Paris. represents the nth state. France The fact that the security forces lost their lives for disobeying an order and easily resorted to the trigger has created growing resentment in the bustling neighboring country, especially among residents. suburbs (Popular neighborhoods). Anger at the brutal murder of Nahel, the night of the riot In Nanterre and other towns on the outskirts of Paris.
The spark that fueled anger about this death was the shocking footage of a police officer. shoot him from the open window of the car These show two agents leaning over a yellow Mercedes AMG. As the vehicle moves a few centimeters, they hit the driver at close range, and the driver died from the impact less than an hour later. bullet wound near the heart. In that recording, you can also hear him threatening the young driver with his cell phone before shooting him: “You’re going to put a bullet in the head.” The other says “Shoot him”.
The video not only spread like wildfire on social networks, but also contradicted the version given by the security forces. Agents assured that the shooting was because the driver tried to run over them. However, this does not correspond to the reality of the images, where the agents were seen from the side of the vehicle and did not pose any threat to themselves. “This is why we have also filed a complaint for the falsification of a public document,” said Yassine Bouzrou, lawyer for the victim’s family, a renowned lawyer specializing in police violence cases, while also accusing the police of “deliberate murder”. and “complicity in willful manslaughter”.
More than 40 vehicles burned
Nanterre prosecutor’s office filed a lawsuit ‘Deliberate manslaughter’ investigation about the agent who killed the teenager, and the other for “disobedience to authority and attempted murder” against the victim. The police responsible for the incidents are currently in custody. There were two other passengers in Nahel’s vehicle: one was released after questioning, the other escaped and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
“I hope they convict him and get his police badge. At least that’s what they can do,” Safir, 29, who works in the car cleaning industry, told EL PERIÓDICO of the Prensa Ibérica group while drinking. A bar in Nanterre. “What happened is terrible. They killed him because he was afraid of going to jail and tried to escape.This resident of the Vieux-Pont neighborhood where Nahel lives with her mother adds: “30 years ago my father couldn’t have put up with such a situation. If he had committed such a crime, the police would have recorded his license plate and then arrested him. But they wouldn’t have shot him!” says this Frenchman of North African descent.
Residents of Nanterre woke up this Wednesday from a Tuesday evening marked by conflicting emotions: shock over the teenager’s death and fear of riots in the afternoon and evening. burning barricades, More than 40 cars burnedfires in buildings, construction sites and near commuter train tracks… Security forces reported 31 detainees After numerous events in Nanterre and other cities in the Paris region such as Asnières, Colombes, Clicy-sous-Bois and Mantes-la-Jolie. The Ministry of Interior also said that 24 agents were slightly injured.
“I’m afraid that young people make mistakes and these events last all week“accepts Sapphire.”they won’t stop. “The neighbors are very angry,” adds 32-year-old Amine, another resident of this “normally quiet” neighborhood, where such incidents are not common. fake news about the victim – reigned in the Vieux-Pont residential area, where blocks of flats alternate with detached houses with gardens and is located on the border between Nanterre and Rueil-Malmaison, one of the wealthiest cities in France.
“Nothing justifies the death of a young man”
“He was a good kid, he was still a kid. He is well known in the neighborhood and is always joking,” said two young men from the neighborhood, who, like Nahel, worked as food delivery men on their motorcycles. At this time, the reasons for the police check and the circumstances that caused the teenager to drive illegally are unknown as he is a minor and does not have a driver’s license. Victim had no criminal record. His lawyers reminded him that the ballot box was empty.
“Nothing justifies the death of a teenager,” the French president reacted. Emmanuel Macrondescribed the murder as “inexplicable and inexcusable”. “The death penalty no longer exists in France. No police officer has the right to kill except in a legitimate defense situation,” the rebel criticized. Jean-Luc Melenchonone of the leading figures of rudeHe called for the “complete re-establishment” of a police force strongly permeated with xenophobic ideas. extreme right. According to a survey by the Cevipof institute, 74% of these officials claimed to be sympathetic to the National Regrouping of Marine Le Pen in 2021.
Nahel’s case was condemned not only by a large part of the political class, but also by cultural and sports figures. “This France pains me. This is unacceptable,” said PSG star Kylian Mbappé. “As if this new police harassment wasn’t enough, the chains of information (…) committed to criminalizing the victim“, criticized Barça defender Jules Koundé, who is known for his anti-racist commitment.
Each time it creates more unrest in the neighboring country. Increasing numbers of citizens shot by police for him simple act of disobedience (or possibly do so) to a police order. Last year, up to 13 people died because of this. It’s a trend favored by legislative reform in 2017, just after the wave of jihadist attacks, which increased situations where agents could shoot, according to experts. And that preferred the current remedy to the easy trigger. At least the data reflect this: 26 people have died at the hands of French police in the last five years after trying to escape in their vehicles, and 17 died in such situations between 2002 and 2017. .