Burning France: Riots expose deep-seated discontent, racial discrimination
Rioting rages in cities across France for a fifth night despite huge police deployment and arrests, as a minority teen's killing by police unleashes unrest. Unruly protestors turn vandals, looting shops, exposing neglect and long-simmering racial tensions between police and minorities
Curated By: Madhu Kapparath
Mounia, the mother of Nahel, sits atop a truck during a commemoration march in Nanterre on June 29, 2023. The riots were sparked when news began to spread that Nahel Merzouk, a French teen of Algerian descent, had been shot and killed by police at a traffic stop while driving in Nanterre on June 27. The police had tried to pull Nahel over because he looked so young, driving a Mercedes with Polish license plates in a bus lane, and had allegedly run a red light to avoid being stopped.
