The riots in France, which erupted in response to the police shooting of teenager Nahel M during a traffic stop, are showing signs of calming after five days of violent protests. On Sunday night, over 150 arrests were made, a significant decrease compared to the previous night’s total of over 700.
Tragically, a firefighter lost his life while attempting to extinguish fires set by rioters. The interior ministry confirmed that the firefighter died after several cars were set ablaze in an underground car park in Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris. The circumstances surrounding the fire are under investigation.
Mayors across the country have called for peaceful rallies outside town halls to protest the violence and looting. In a press release, an association of mayors expressed their refusal to let the country succumb to chaos and noted that the degradation in society has been a longstanding concern for mayors. They also highlighted the attack on a suburban Paris mayor’s home, where rioters fired rockets at the mayor’s fleeing wife and children, treating the incident as attempted murder.
Several town halls have been damaged or targeted with attempted arson during the unrest, with republican symbols being the focus of extreme violence.
French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet with the mayors of 220 townships affected by the violence on Tuesday, recognizing the need for dialogue and understanding.
The family of Nahel, the teenager killed by the police, has called for calm. While they do not want Nahel’s death to spark riots, they insist on changes to the law regarding the use of lethal force during traffic stops. Nahel’s grandmother criticized rioters for using his death as an excuse and urged them to stop destroying public property.
In addition, the grandmother expressed her heartache over a controversial GoFundMe page that has raised over €800,000 (£686,985) for the family of the police officer who shot Nahel. The fundraising campaign has generated significant debate and attention.
As the riots in France begin to calm, there is a collective hope for peace, dialogue, and necessary reforms to address the underlying concerns and grievances fueling the unrest.
