PARIS, June 29 French President Emmanuel Macron during the meeting An inter-ministerial crisis group at the interior ministry called the violence in the country following the killing of a teenager by police «unjustified» and called for calm.
«In connection with the unrest after the death of a young man, calmness and composure are needed … The last hours are marked by scenes of violence against police stations, schools, city halls — in fact, against institutions and the republic. And this is absolutely unjustified,» said Macron during a meeting of the crisis group, which the president convened because of the riots. A video of the meeting was posted by the LCI TV channel.
Apart from the president, the meeting is also attended by, among others, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Born, Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, Minister of Justice Eric Dupont-Moretti.
On Tuesday morning, police officers shot and killed a 17-year-old teenager during a road check in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris, who, according to police, refused to comply with their demands. As a result, riots broke out in a number of cities, which have lasted for two days. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported about the detention of 150 people. On Thursday, a «silent march» is expected in front of the prefecture of the city of Nanterre, the mother of the deceased teenager urged to hold.
French authorities urged citizens to «calm down», while demanding a fair investigation of this case. The French President called the incident «inexplicable and inexcusable», adding that «nothing justifies the death of a young man.» The prime minister said that the police acted «outside the bounds of what is permitted.»