Suburban Mayor Reports Violent Attack On His Home Amid Ongoing Protests in France

The mayor of L’Haÿ-les-Roses, a suburb of Paris, revealed on Sunday that protesters had deliberately crashed a car into his residence and subsequently set it ablaze, resulting in injuries to his wife and one of his children. The incident occurred as demonstrations, sparked by the police killing of a 17-year-old, continued for the fifth consecutive night across France. Mayor Vincent Jeanbrun condemned the act of violence, describing it as a "milestone in terms of horror and ignominy" in a statement posted on Twitter.

In a separate incident, rioters attempted to set fire to a vehicle belonging to another mayor in the town of La Riche, located near Tours, southwest of Paris, as reported by the police via Twitter.

While Saturday evening witnessed relatively calmer protests compared to previous nights, local media outlets documented instances of rioting, looting, and clashes in Marseille, the country's second-largest city, resulting in numerous arrests.

Grandmother Makes Appeal To Rioters

Tensions remain high following the recent funeral of Nahel Merzouk, the 17-year-old victim of Algerian and Moroccan descent who was fatally shot during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a Paris suburb. Many protesters expressed a connection to the victim, drawing parallels between his fate and their own experiences of neglect and racial discrimination in France's economically disadvantaged urban areas.

Nadia, Merzouk's grandmother, made an appeal to the rioters to cease their destructive actions, urging them to refrain from vandalizing shops, schools, and public transportation. She emphasized the impact of such acts on everyday people, stating, "It's moms who take buses," as per a report in Deccan Herald.

Mayor Jeanbrun disclosed that he had been spending nights at the town hall for the past three nights, and the attack occurred at around 1:30 a.m. when a car was driven into his house while his family was asleep. His wife and one of his children sustained injuries while attempting to escape. The public prosecutor in Créteil, Stéphane Hardouin, revealed that initial indications pointed to the car deliberately crashing into the house with the intent of setting it on fire, and traces of accelerant were found in a bottle. Fortunately, a small wall prevented the car from reaching the house's veranda, limiting the damage to the front gate and the family's car. Mayor Jeanbrun's wife injured herself while fleeing through the back garden, resulting in a suspected broken shin.

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin denounced the attack as "cowardly and terrible" and announced the initiation of an attempted-murder investigation. Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne visited L'Haÿ-les-Roses to express her support for Mayor Jeanbrun and declared the attack unacceptable. She pledged that the government would push for stricter penalties against those who assault local officials, emphasizing the particularly shocking nature of such acts.

President Emmanuel Macron convened a meeting at the Élysée Palace with the prime minister, interior minister, and justice minister to assess the overall situation in the country. Macron urged authorities to continue restoring order and achieving calm while expressing a desire to comprehensively understand the underlying causes of the unrest. The specific format of this new initiative is yet to be determined, although Macron has previously engaged in town hall-style meetings and debates with intellectuals in response to crises.

Unrest Across Various Cities

Although the number of police officers deployed nationwide remained unchanged, additional reinforcements were dispatched to Grenoble, Lyon, and Marseille during the night to suppress protests, according to Interior Minister Darmanin. The Interior Ministry reported 719 arrests overnight and noted that 45 police officers sustained injuries. Over 1,300 arrests were made on Friday night. Darmanin confirmed that approximately 45,000 police officers were deployed across the country on Saturday evening, a figure similar to the previous night. In a Twitter update, he acknowledged a relatively calmer night, attributing it to the resolute actions of law enforcement.

France has experienced widespread riots following the tragic death of a 17-year-old boy at the hands of a police officer. The unrest, marked by chaos and violence, has erupted in various cities across the country, shedding light on the persistent issues of poverty, discrimination, unemployment, and lack of opportunities faced by residents in neighborhoods with ties to former French colonies, including the area where Nahel resided, reported Livemint.

In response to the turmoil, the French police have made numerous arrests, aiming to restore order. President Emmanuel Macron has urged parents and young individuals not to be swayed by social media arguments that may incite violence.

Nahel was fatally shot during a traffic stop in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday. A video depicting the incident showed two officers at the car window, with one officer pointing a gun at the driver. Nahel was laid to rest peacefully on Saturday at a cemetery in Nanterre, the same suburb where he lost his life.

These incidents of violence come just over a year before Paris and other French cities are set to host the Olympic Games, highlighting the need for addressing the underlying issues and promoting social cohesion in the country.

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