In one of the suburbs of Paris, riots broke out due to the brutal police treatment of ethnic minorities that do not comply with the quarantine regime, extended by the recent decree of the President of Macron until may 11. The immediate reason for the outcry was the incident with the 30-year-old local resident, injured in a collision with a police car.
In the night of Monday, April 20, embittered by the actions of the police, the people rioted in the small town of Villeneuve-La-Garenne in the region Hauts-de-Seine, about ten miles to the North-West of the centre of the French capital. Posted in social networking the video footage shows how the protesters launched at police fireworks, threw stones and burned trash cans. Law enforcement officers, in turn, broke up their opponents with batons and used tear gas.
another video clip published by local journalist of Algerian origin Taha Whatcom on his Twitter page, you can see how the cops brutalize a man, threatening him, trying to pick up the phone and apply force.
One of the reasons for the revolt in the Paris suburbs was the incident in which 30-year-old motorcyclist crashed at full speed into the open door of a police car unmarked in Villeneuve-La-Garenne and received severe injuries to the legs. The investigation of this case has already taken the city Prosecutor’s office.
locals claim that the car door was opened specifically to stop the motorcyclist. Police say that he tried to prevent a collision going at great speed biker with their car. The victim was successfully operated on in the hospital and promised to sue those responsible for his injuries. Meanwhile, this young man is well known to the police and repeatedly arrested for various offenses, according to reports.
friends of the victim claimed that this incident was an example of police brutality with representatives of national minorities in the period of the quarantine.
“seriously injured people have Arab and Muslim background, told the Daily Mail familiar with the situation. – He was in the hospital in critical condition and people in this area is very poorly reacted to what was happening.”
local police said in response that “become a target for the rebels who threw stones and flares”. They also added that the outbreak in Villeneuve-La-Garenne riots threaten to go beyond this Paris suburb and spread to other French cities and regions. And in some places – apparently with no direct link to Vishnevskii events – this is already happening.
Not too optimistic forecasts about the coming riots skyeconomically – if we consider not just demonstrated the propensity of young people (many of whom have an immigrant background) in Paris predmestie riot, multiplied by the current crisis because of the pandemic.
And the use of law enforcement of strict measures against violators of the quarantine may provoke not only outrage, but also counter-violence.
last week, prosecutors in the town of Beziers, located in the South of France, announced that police officers face criminal charges after a 33-year-old father of three children Mohamed Gabsi died during an arrest for curfew violation. Three policemen suspected of “deliberate violence by government officials which led to the murder and failure to assist a person in danger”. For these crimes the police can be sentenced to 15 years in prison.
the Case is particularly sensitive because of Gabsi the deceased was a Muslim, and at the head of Beziers stands the mayor, who supports right-wing party “National Assembly”, formerly known as “national front”.
According to reports, the man, when he was taken to the local police station, suffered a heart attack. Witnesses saw two police officers sitting on him in a patrol car.
After the death of Gabsi under suspicious circumstances followed numerous complaints from the Muslim community of racism by the police. Press Secretary of the French human rights League called the death of Mohamed Gabsi “scandal that shows how the kill the poor” as a result of police detention.
we will Remind, the President of France Emmanuel macron on the evening of 13 April addressed to the people and announced the extension of the existing on March 17 isolation mode until may 11.
Meanwhile, the number of deaths from Covid-19 in France began to decline. Sunday, April 19 was the lowest figure for the last three weeks – 395 deaths per day. According to the Johns Hopkins University, the country registered more than 154 thousand cases of infection of the new type. While France is in third place in the mortality rate in the world from a dangerous virus has killed more than 19 thousand people.
