"The government has decided to add fuel to the fire" and "not to respect the death of my little brother", she said in the video. In a video posted on Twitter, Assa Traore, Adama's older sister, confirmed that following the court order "there will be no march in Beaumont-sur-Oise". However, with tensions still high following the police killing of 17-year-old Nahel, of Algerian origin, at a traffic stop last week, a court ruled the chance of public disturbance was too high to allow the march to proceed. Seven years after Adama Traore, a young black man, died in police custody, his sister had planned to lead a commemorative march north of Paris in Persan and Beaumont-sur-Oise. But unless this is done, more violent flare-ups are likely to occur in future.FRANCE - Dozens of marches against police violence in France have been announced for Saturday after authorities banned a memorial rally, fearful of reigniting the recent unrest that engulfed the country. This would include working with law enforcement to change their mindset – not an easy task as the police have hardened their stance even more after the latest wave of riots. The first step would be an acknowledgement of the problem, followed by measures to address it. In addition, and more importantly, there has to be an end to institutionalised discrimination. For, as of today, the slogan on the protesters’ placards and lips is “The police kill” and “No justice, no peace”.įor all round healing, justice for Nahel must be delivered and seen to be delivered. Blaming video games and social networks for the “copycat violence” that engulfed France is to misread the fury of those involved. Measures to erase the mutual distrust that exists between these citizens and the police are needed.
It is important to end systemic discrimination against and ethnic profiling of the Black and Arab immigrant communities. This has left the immigrant communities feeling marginalised and discriminated against. However, in contrast to the “melting pot” model, France’s model of cultural assimilation does not make room for the growing linguistic, cultural and religious diversity of its population. Over the years, with the influx of immigrants from its former colonies as well as other parts of the world, the nature of French society has changed, reflecting its colonial legacy. Unemployment in this segment is high, poverty is rampant and life prospects are bleak.ĭon't Miss | The complex history of French immigration - seen in a police killing and retaliatory street violence The people in question are third and fourth-generation immigrants, still living in the same ghetto-like, rundown, lower-income housing estates in the banlieue that housed their grandparents or great-grandparents in the 1950s and 60s. In the wake of last week’s violence, the spokesperson of the UN Human Rights Office, Ravina Shamdasani, called on France “to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement” and “to ensure the use of force by police to address violent elements in demonstrations always respects the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality, non-discrimination, precaution and accountability.” However, in a parallel statement released the same day, French police unions declared they were “at war’ with “savage hordes of vermin”, lending credence to the concern expressed by the UN body.ĭistrust of the police runs deep in immigrant circles. While the violence, damage to property and looting cannot be condoned and the culprits must be severely punished by law, France needs to re-examine its methods of policing. The Nanterre shooting unleashed the pent-up frustration and deep-seated anger with, not just the police but the state in general, resulting in the arson and trashing of government and municipal buildings.Īlso Read | France riots: A look at cases of police violence in the country Young men and boys are reportedly being subjected to numerous and repeated, abusive identity checks. They live for the most part in grim, high-rise, suburban housing estates that are hotbeds of drug dealing and crime, where everyday life is a struggle. The unwarranted shooting of the teenager has touched a raw nerve among the north and west African immigrant population. Thousands of rioters, including many in their early teens, were arrested. The government responded by deploying 45,000 policemen across the country and authorising the use of armoured vehicles, drones, and helicopters.
It quickly spread to other towns and cities, with France getting sucked into a whirlpool of rioting and anarchy. Nahel’s death triggered spontaneous violent protests in Nanterre where the incident occurred.
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