Protests have erupted in France after police shot dead Nahel M, a 17-year-old boy of Algerian descent, on Tuesday for allegedly driving his car towards police.
Police said that the teenager was driving his car towards them, but footage emerged on social media on Wednesday contradicting their narrative. A video clip showed a police officer pointing his weapon through the window and appearing to fire at point-blank range, with a voice saying “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”
The protests started on Wednesday soon after the video of the incident started circulating on social media.
French government’s stance:
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday the shooting was “inexplicable” and “unforgivable”.
“Nothing can justify the death of a young person,” said Macron, adding that the incident had “moved the entire nation”.
However, the Macron government is rejecting accusations of racism among police.
“Any accusation of racism or systemic discrimination in the police force in France is totally unfounded,” the foreign ministry said.
