Nantes: Protests erupt after police kill young man
A traffic stop went terribly wrong when a police officer opened fire on a 22-year-old driver and killed him. The fatal incident triggered violent protests in the French city, but police say "the worst" has yet to come.
Nantes on fire
Dozens of protesters took to the streets of Nantes after police shot and killed a young man during a traffic stop. But police said the man injured an officer when he attempted to reverse his vehicle, prompting a fellow officer to fire on the driver. News of the young man's death spread swiftly, prompting protesters to take to the streets.
Cars, buildings targeted
Groups of young protesters gathered in several neighborhoods across Nantes, including Breil, Dervallieres and Malakoff. The protesters threw Molotov cocktails at police and set fire to vehicles in the area. But residents said violent incidents had been on the rise in their neighborhoods.
'The worst' yet to come
A Breil resident told the AFP news agency that he had "heard explosions" and went to see what was happening. "I saw everything burning. There were fires in the bins, the cars. They were breaking everything. It lasted ages." Protests largely subsided by morning, according to authorities. But police are expecting "the worst in the coming days."
Reinforcements
Authorities said police in Nantes would receive reinforcements from Rennes, Saint-Nazaire and Angers to maintain order in the French city over the coming days. "I'm appealing for absolute calm, as the rule of law will be completely respected," said French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet. Up to 200 additional riot police officers have been mobilized, reported the Ouest-France newspaper.
History repeats itself?
Officials have called for a full investigation into the young man's death, hoping to stave off further unrest. In 2005, two boys were killed while fleeing police, triggering violent protests in Clichy-sous-Bois, a low-income migrant neighborhood on the outskirts of Paris. These spread swiftly and lasted for months, becoming a major issue in the next presidential election campaign.