President Emmanuel Macron has canceled a state visit to Germany as protests continue across France. The protests are in response to the killing of Nahel M., a 17-year-old delivery driver. Nahel was shot and killed by police in Nanterre, a suburb 6.8 miles northwest of the center of Paris. While police claim the officers responded with deadly force due to a direct threat to their lives, this has been disputed. Lawyers for the family of Nahel released a video showing officers firing at Nael’s car as it drove away after a traffic stop. The officer deemed to have fired the fatal shot has been detained on a manslaughter charge.
Just the latest in a series of increasingly common police killings in France, thousands have taken to the streets across the country. It’s the second major civil action undertaken by the nation’s citizens this year. Starting in January, thousands have engaged in a work stoppage and protest action over changes to the country’s pension scheme. However, the protests of the killing of Nahel have drawn comparisons to similar protests in 2005. That action was undertaken after two teenagers were electrocuted to death while hiding from police in a power substation.
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Macron Stays Home, Nahel Buried
Macron, France’s increasingly embattled President, chose not to go through with a trip to Germany as the protests entered their fifth day. It would have been the first state visit to Germany by a French President in 23 years. Per the Ministry of the Interior, over 2400 people have been arrested during the protests. 1311 of these individuals were arrested on Friday night alone, with Macron urging parents to keep their children at home.
Meanwhile, Nahel was laid to rest in a hilltop cemetery in Nanterre. With the media kept out, hundreds lined the streets to pay their respects. After prayers were held at a local mosque, someone attempt to enforce androcentric Muslim funeral traditions at the gates of the ceremony. However, Nahel’s mother defied him, earning a round of applause from onlookers. Meanwhile, the protests continue to spread. In French Guinea, protests turned violent after a 54-year-old was killed by a stray bullet. Meanwhile, prosecutors begin to build a case against the accused police officer. This is a developing story and we’ll have any updates here at HotNewHipHop.
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