Paris in Flames: Over 800 Arrested in Third Night of Riots and Looting in France

Rampages, fires, mortar-like fireworks explosions continue in France for the third consecutive night following the death of 17-year-old Nahele, who was killed by a police officer in Nanterre on Tuesday. Rioting and destruction of public buildings, cars, looting, and fights are ongoing in many cities across France, as reported by French media.

According to LeMonde, President Emmanuel Macron left the European summit in Brussels today without holding a final press conference and returned to Paris. 

He spoke at the end of an emergency meeting organized by the Ministry of the Interior, condemning "unacceptable manipulations surrounding the teenager's death" and announcing "additional measures" to combat the unrest, urging "parents to take responsibility" and calling for cooperation from social media platforms.

Over 870 people were arrested during the third consecutive night, which was marked by clashes, looting, and destruction. As per reports, a total of 492 buildings were damaged, 2,000 vehicles were set on fire, and 3,880 fires were started on public roads.

On Friday, many cities in the Paris region and provinces woke up to the scars of another night of violence, during which hundreds of arrests were made by the police. Throughout the night, 249 police officers and gendarmes were injured.

According to LeFigaro, all end-of-year school parties in colleges and high schools in the region have been canceled.

According to 7sur7, the evening before, Macron and his wife attended Elton John's farewell concert at the Accor Arena in Paris, when violent unrest erupted in several French cities following the death of young Nahele during a police check the day before. "He kept himself informed of the situation via SMS," assured his entourage. Videos quickly emerged on social media showing Macron and his wife arriving at the concert and later inside the venue. Elton John's husband, director David Furnish, posted a backstage photo on Instagram.

After the death of the 17-year-old youth, who was shot by a police officer after he refused to comply, several French cities have become arenas of nightly riots. Police stations, schools, shops, public transport, and cars have been vandalized or set ablaze during the third night of unrest that has shaken France.