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Paris police shoot woman at station after threats

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In Paris, French counter-terrorism police shot and injured an unarmed woman wearing a full veil after she allegedly threatened train passengers. The officers resorted to firing eight times when the woman didn’t comply with their instructions. The incident occurred at the Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand train station in the 13th district.

The woman, reportedly heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest), is in critical but stable condition after being shot in the abdomen. The French government revealed that she had a prior conviction for threatening military personnel involved in Opération Sentinelle.

Authorities have initiated two investigations – one to probe the woman’s actions and the other to determine the appropriateness of the police’s use of firearms. The event comes amid heightened tensions in France stemming from the Israel-Hamas conflict. Additionally, the Paris region has witnessed an increase in antisemitic incidents, with Stars of David found defaced on buildings in various parts of the city. Paris officials have vowed to combat antisemitism vigorously.

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France shooting: Calmer night despite protests over Nahel M’s murder, minister says

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The death of a teenager shot by police at close range in France has sparked protests and unrest in various cities. However, the Interior Minister has reported a quieter night of protests with fewer arrests compared to previous nights.

The most intense clashes occurred in the southern city of Marseille. In a Paris suburb, attackers targeted the mayor’s house, injuring his wife as she attempted to flee with their children. The funeral for the teenager, Nahel M, was held with large crowds in attendance. The Interior Minister commended law enforcement for their actions, which contributed to a relatively calmer night. Around 45,000 police officers were deployed across the country for a second consecutive night.

The hope is that the security crackdown and the public’s disapproval of the violence will lead to a turning point and a decline in rioting. However, it is yet to be confirmed if this trend will continue. Clashes between police and rioters were reported in Marseille, with tear gas being used by the police. In Paris, a significant police presence deterred protesters from gathering on the Champs-Élysées.

The mayor of L’Haÿ-les-Roses denounced the attack on his home as a “murder attempt of unspeakable cowardice.” In other cities such as Lille, Lyon, Nice, and Strasbourg, clashes and vehicle fires were reported. The incident involving Nahel has reignited discussions about French policing, including a controversial firearms law from 2017 that allows officers to shoot at drivers who refuse to stop.

The issue of racism within the police force has also been raised, with the UN’s human rights office urging France to address this concern. President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the violence and criticized the exploitation of Nahel’s death to justify acts of violence.

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France shooting: Who was Nahel M, shot by police in Nanterre?

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The fatal shooting of Nahel M, a 17-year-old, has sparked widespread riots in various cities across France, including his hometown of Nanterre, located west of Paris.

Nahel, who was raised by his mother as an only child, worked as a pizza delivery man and was involved in playing rugby league. He had a tumultuous educational background and was enrolled in a college in Suresnes, near his residence, with the intention of becoming an electrician.

Residents of Nanterre spoke highly of Nahel, describing him as well-loved in the community where he lived with his mother, Mounia. He had a close relationship with his mother and expressed his love for her before she went to work on the day of the incident.

Tragically, in the morning, during a police traffic check, Nahel was fatally shot at close range in the chest while driving a Mercedes car, after attempting to drive away from the scene.

Nahel’s mother expressed deep sorrow and devastation, stating that she had dedicated everything to him and he was her only child and best friend. His grandmother remembered him as a kind and good-hearted boy.

The incident has drawn attention to the police shooting, leading to protests and calls for justice across France. Politicians and activists emphasized that a refusal to stop should not result in lethal force, emphasizing the right of all citizens to fair treatment.

Nahel had been involved with the Pirates of Nanterre rugby club for the past three years and participated in an integration program called Ovale Citoyen, which aimed to assist struggling teenagers by providing apprenticeships. He was learning to become an electrician through this program.

Jeff Puech, the president of Ovale Citoyen, described Nahel as a determined individual seeking social and professional integration, contrary to negative portrayals of him on social media. Puech praised Nahel’s exemplary attitude and knew him well during his time in the Vieux-Pont suburb before moving to the Pablo Picasso estate.

Notably, Nahel’s family had Algerian origins, and expressions of support and condolences were seen on a banner displayed on the Paris ring road. Some individuals in France, particularly those from Arab or black backgrounds, highlighted the issue of police violence and demanded justice for Nahel.

Nahel had been subjected to multiple police checks, known as refus d’obtempérer (refusals to cooperate), with records indicating up to five such instances since 2021. It was reported that he had recently been detained for refusing to cooperate and was scheduled to appear in juvenile court in September. His recent troubles mostly involved incidents related to cars.

The riots triggered by Nahel’s death serve as a reminder of the 2005 events, when two teenagers, Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré, were electrocuted while evading police after a football game and sought refuge in an electricity substation in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois.

The emotional impact of Nahel’s death resonates with many in France, as they can relate to the incident and perceive the potential for it to have happened to themselves or their loved ones.

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Outrage in Paris following police shooting of teenager who defied traffic stop

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Violent protests erupted in Paris overnight following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old who failed to comply with a traffic stop order by police. Video footage circulating on social media shows a police officer aiming a gun at the driver of a car, followed by a gunshot and the car subsequently crashing. The teenager, identified as Naël M, succumbed to chest wounds despite receiving assistance from emergency services. The officer responsible for the shooting has been apprehended on charges of homicide.

Initially, the police claimed that the teen had driven his car toward them with the intent to harm. However, verified footage contradicts this account, revealing two officers attempting to stop the vehicle. One officer points his weapon at the driver through the window and seemingly fires at close range as the driver tries to flee. In the video, an unidentified person can be heard saying, “you’re going to be shot in the head,” but the speaker’s identity remains unclear.

Two other individuals were in the car at the time of the incident. One of them fled, while the other, also a minor, was detained by the police. The shooting triggered protests in the Nanterre area, located west of Paris, with incidents of arson, destruction of bus shelters, and the use of fireworks near the police station. Riot police employed tear gas to disperse the protesters, leading to the arrest of twenty individuals.

Following the teenager’s death, two separate investigations have been initiated—one into the potential misconduct of a public official resulting in a fatality, and another into the driver’s failure to stop the vehicle and alleged attempt to harm a police officer.

Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez expressed concerns about the officer’s actions, although he suggested the officer may have felt threatened. The family’s lawyer contested this justification, stating that the video unequivocally depicted a police officer deliberately killing the young man. The family filed a complaint against the police for providing false information initially, claiming that the car had attempted to run over the officers.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described the video shared on social media as “extremely shocking” and called on people to respect the family’s grief and the presumption of innocence for the police. Left-wing leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon extended his condolences to the teen’s family, emphasizing that no officer has the right to kill unless in self-defense. He called for a comprehensive reform of the uncontrolled police force, which he believes undermines the authority of the state.

This incident follows another fatal police shooting two weeks earlier in Angouleme, where a 19-year-old driver was killed after allegedly hitting an officer during a traffic stop. Last year, a record number of 13 individuals died in police shootings during traffic stops in France, according to Reuters. Naël M’s death marks the second such incident this year.

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