For the fifth consecutive night, France grappled with widespread civil unrest, marking a significant challenge to national stability. While showing initial signs of abating, the protests, sparked by the death of 17-year-old Nahel during a traffic stop last week, continued to grip major cities across the country.
Key urban centers like Paris, Nice, Marseille, and Strasbourg remained focal points of tension on Saturday evening. Law enforcement deployed tear gas and contained demonstrators late into the night, resulting in 719 arrests nationwide. This represents part of a large-scale police mobilization against the most extensive protests France has witnessed since 2018.
The Champs-Elysees in Paris became a central point for police activity following social media calls for protesters to gather at the iconic avenue. Violence and vandalism targeted businesses and public spaces, but a particularly alarming incident involved a protester ramming a vehicle into the home of a mayor in a Paris suburb, allegedly attempting to set the house ablaze. The mayor's wife and one child sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The identity of the attacker remains unknown.
President Emmanuel Macron, facing mounting pressure to quell the unrest, cancelled a state visit to Germany – the first such visit by a French president in 23 years – to address the escalating crisis. He convened an emergency meeting with the National Assembly and subsequently authorized the deployment of 45,000 officers and armored vehicles, a substantial increase from the initial 9,000.
Over 3,000 arrests have been made since the outset of the violence, and hundreds of police officers have been injured. The funeral of Nahel took place on Saturday, adding another layer of complexity to the already volatile situation.
