More than 40,000 police officers have been mobilised across France as the government tries to contain growing anger after a police officer killed a teenager.
The 17-year-old, known as Nahel M, was driving a rental car in the western Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning when police pulled him over during a traffic check for breaking several road rules.
Police said that the teenager, who was of North African descent, was driving his car towards them, but footage emerged contradicting their narrative. A video circulating on social media showed a police officer pointing his weapon through the window and appearing to fire at point-blank range.
Nahel M died shortly afterwards from his wounds, according to the local prosecutor.
Too young to hold a full driving licence in France, the 17-year-old was driving illegally, a source familiar with the investigation said. The Nanterre prosecutor said he was known to police for previously failing to comply with a traffic stop order.
Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Nanterre, said that protesters, mainly young men, have thrown fireworks at police officers during overnight riots.
Link from www.aljazeera.com