France unrest: Mayors call for anti-riot protests to oppose violence

Following the arrest of 157 rioters, the lowest in days, mayors across France have called on officials and the public to stage protests against the violence that has persisted in the country since police shot a 17-year-old boy last week.

Over the past week, France has been battling violent riots and looting over the killing of Nahel M, a food delivery worker, reviving longstanding accusations of racism against the French police force.

Meanwhile, a fireman was killed during a sixth consecutive night of rioting while dousing burning vehicles in northern Paris but there was no immediate indication of a connection with the violent protests, the interior ministry said.

The call for a “mobilisation of citizens for a return to republican order” came after angry protestors vandalised the residence of a mayor, prompting widespread violence.

In a statement, an association of the country’s mayors noted that areas “everywhere in France are the scene of serious unrest, which targets republican symbols with extreme violence”.

Grandmother of teen shot dead by police urge rioters to stop

Earlier, the grandmother of the French teenager shot dead by police during a traffic stop pleaded Sunday for rioters to stop after five nights of unrest, while authorities expressed outrage at an attack on a suburban mayor’s home that injured family members.

The fatal police shooting triggered the ongoing violence in France.

The grandmother of 17-year-old Nahel, identified only as Nadia, told French news broadcaster BFM TV, “Don’t break windows, buses … schools. We want to calm things down.”

She said she was angry at the officer who killed her grandson but not at the police in general and expressed faith in the justice system as France faces its worst social upheaval in years. Nahel, whose full name hasn’t been disclosed, was buried on Saturday.

With inputs from agencies

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