On June 27, 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was shot and killed by a police officer at a traffic stop in Nanterre on the outskirts of Paris. Nahel had been pulled over and attempted to flee, not surprising seeing as he had a history of not complying with the police. One officer shot him at point-blank range through the driver-side window when he began driving off. The officer claimed he shot because he was worried he or another person would be hurt. This claim would be contradicted by videos taken of the shooting, showing that the officers were in no immediate danger.
There have been persistent complaints against French law enforcement concerning racism, especially against those of African and Arab descent. Nahel himself was Algerian and Moroccan. Riots began that following Wednesday. Cars were set on fire, fireworks were thrown, and buildings were burned and vandalized. Thousands were arrested and hundreds were injured. 40,000 officers were deployed across the country.
On Thursday, June 29, the officer that fired the shot was detained and charged with voluntary homicide. Police began using tear gas against the protesters which only enraged protesters even more.
Nahel’s mother, Mounia Merzouk, led a memorial march to the Nanterre courthouse. The phrase, “Justics for Nahel” was imprinted on signs and shirts and could be seen throughout the entire march.
The protests continued to escalate, leading to the looting of Paris. Thousands more were arrested, most of them teenagers. The following Saturday, a funeral was held for Nahel at the Ibn Badis mosque. That night was calmer than the previous few days, but many still fought on. Numerous residents began calling for the cessation of the violence. The riots significantly died down by Sunday night.
