GIGANTIC RIOTS IN FRENCH CITIES AND SUBURBS

An appalling record

Burned bus, stoned tram, burnt cars, town hall or school targeted... new urban violence punctuated the night from Friday to Saturday in Paris, Lyon, Grenoble, Saint-Étienne or Annecy, but also smaller towns, after the death de Nahel, 17, killed by police shooting in Nanterre on Tuesday. In Saône-et-Loire, Mâcon, Le Creusot, Montceau-les-Mines and Chalon-sur-Saône saw "clashes between law enforcement and troublemakers, who set fire to garbage cans and vehicles,” the prefecture said in a statement.

According to the latest report from the ministry, established at 11 a.m. this Saturday, July 1, 2023, there were 1,311 arrests at the national level, including 406 in the Paris region. Still according to the ministry, in Vaulx-en-Velin (Rhône) four police officers were injured by police shotgun fire, two had bruises and two suffered impacts on the nose and thigh. A total of 79 police and gendarmes were injured. This report also reports 2,560 fires on public roads and 1,350 vehicle fires, as well as 266 fires or damage to buildings, including 26 town halls, 24 schools and five justice establishments. Earlier, the ministry reported 31 attacks on police stations, 16 attacks on municipal police stations and 11 gendarmerie barracks.

Added to this: according to a report mentioned by the Minister of the Interior during an interministerial council, "there were 3,880 fires on the public highway" Thursday evening. The day before, there were 2,391 , says Gérald Darmanin. “Many buildings were hit, 492, last night, including 77 targeted attacks on police stations and gendarmerie brigades,” insists the minister. In addition, nearly 2,000 vehicles were burned last night, compared to 800 on Wednesday evening.

Since the start of the urban violence, "at least ten shopping centers have been attacked and looted, as well as more than 200 large retailers", but also "250 bank branches", listed the Minister of Economy.

Foreign countries worried about their nationals

The German government is watching “with some concern what is happening in France,” German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said of the riots on Friday.

Norway, for its part, on Friday called on its nationals currently in France to avoid crowd gatherings because of the violence that is shaking the country "There have been riots in several places in France in recent days, including in Paris" , writes the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an SMS sent to Norwegian travelers who have registered on an app from the authorities. The United States has followed suit...