Editorial: Mass riots in France new eruption of old problem

A demonstrator runs during protests sparked by the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, France. Photo / AP

The most-visited country in the world has been convulsing with riots at the height of the summer tourism season, sparked by the police killing of a 17-year-old motorist.

France annually draws an estimated 90 million tourists, more than any other country including Spain and the United States. People are moving around on their summer holidays and the Tour de France has begun.

In early September, the country will host Kiwi rugby fans and many others from around the world for the men’s World Cup. The Summer Olympics in Paris follows next year.

The sight of smoking husks of torched vehicles in parts of Paris and tear gas, looting and boarded-up shops in central Marseille doesn’t fit with the positive picture.

French President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled a trip to Germany to deal with the crisis as police try to quell unrest which started five days ago in Nanterre, Paris. Damage to buildings and vehicles has been widespread in cities across France, including in the capital, Marseille, and Lyon.

The French men’s football team urged an end to the violence over the shooting of driver Nahel M, who was from a family of Algerian heritage, and advocated “mourning, dialogue and reconstruction”.

“Many of us are from working-class neighbourhoods, we too share this feeling of pain and sadness. Violence resolves nothing... There are other peaceful and constructive ways to express yourself.”

The rage on the streets represents a new eruption of an old problem over police actions, perceived racial discrimination, and poverty.

In the past year and a half, police fatally shot 16 people, including Nahel, who didn’t comply with traffic stops. The BBC reports there were 37 deaths in police operations in 2021 - about 0.5 per million people.

As in some United States cases of deaths in police custody, video of Nahel, verified by AFP, stirred anger. Two police officers on motorbikes chased him for speeding. When they caught up to him and he tried to get away, one shot the teen. An officer has been charged with voluntary homicide.

Nanterre mayor Patrick Jarry said changes are needed in low-income areas. “There’s a feeling of injustice in the minds of many residents... whether it’s related to succeeding in school, or access to jobs, culture and quality housing.”

People in other countries, including here, will be able relate to such challenges - but a lot of people suffer when street rioting is the response.

There were three weeks of French riots in 2005 after two teens, aged 15 and 17, were electrocuted in a power substation while hiding from police at Clichy-sous-Bois.

The protests are a fresh but familiar challenge for Macron after previous rounds this year over pension reforms and the anti-government yellow vest fuel tax campaign in his first term.

The French Government has cracked down hard this time, flooding cities with 45,000 police and arresting about 2300 people over Friday and Saturday.

As Nahel’s family held a private funeral yesterday, the United Nations called the unrest a time “to address deep issues of racism in law enforcement”. It highlighted a UN report on the use of identification checks and fines against some ethnic groups. The French Foreign Ministry said claims of racism or systemic discrimination in the police force were “totally unfounded”.

The unrest highlights the extent of the country’s social problems which, if left to bubble away, are waiting there to explode in public view.