Violence erupts during Paris protest against police brutality

Breakaway violence

A protest against police brutality led by the hard left in Paris took a violent turn, drawing strong condemnation from the French government. The demonstration occurred about three months after a youth was fatally shot by a police officer near Paris during a traffic stop, sparking widespread rioting.

During the protest, hundreds of individuals wearing black clothing and hoods separated from the main march, which consisted of several thousand people. They engaged in acts of violence, including vandalizing a bank branch and attacking a police vehicle trapped in traffic. The attackers used objects to damage the police car, necessitating the intervention of an anti-riot police unit to free it.

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Government condemnation

Video footage later surfaced, showing masked protesters chasing the police vehicle and repeatedly kicking it. One individual even used a crowbar to shatter one of the vehicle's windows. Although an officer exited the vehicle and displayed his service weapon, he did not fire it and eventually returned to the car.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin denounced the "unacceptable violence" against the police and expressed concern about the growing anti-police sentiment. Paris police chief Laurent Nunez confirmed the arrest of three individuals in connection with the incident.

Unions estimated that around 80,000 people participated in protests across France, responding to a call from the radical left, including the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party. However, the police reported a significantly lower figure of 13,800 participants.

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