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France: looting, arson and attacks on police in third night of street terrorism

The European country continues to live in a climate of intense violence caused by large groups of rioters vandalizing the streets. This follows the death of a young man who was killed after he fled when police pulled him over.

France riots

Voz Media (Screenshot @ClementLanot - @aschapire / Twitter)

Published by
Verónica Silveri Pazos

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Violence in France is getting out of control. The country suffered a wave of chaos and riots for the third consecutive night caused by large groups of young people acting wildly. The rioters use the death of a 17-year-old who fled from police after being pulled over for speeding as justification to destroy the country.

In recent hours, there have not only been clashes between street terrorists and police. Images shared on social media show young people looting stores, burning libraries and even opening the gates of the Paris Zoo.

A total of 875 people were arrested and 249 injured throughout the country. Some 40,000 police officers have been deployed, including elite units. Only 5,000 of them are in Paris. The officers are not only on the ground. A French Gendarmerie helicopter flew over Marseille during most of Thursday night.

The Gendarmerie is mobilizing all its resources, on the ground and in the air, day and night, to maintain public order and prevent disturbances.

French President Emmanuel Macron convened a new inter-ministerial crisis meeting in Paris. There, he asked the parents of rioters to take responsibility for the actions of their children and to keep them at home. Many of the rioters are between 14 and 18 years old:

The context we are living is the result of organized and equipped groups, but also of many young people. ... A third of those arrested are young or even very young. ... It is the parents' responsibility to keep them at home. I appeal to the sense of responsibility of the families.

The president also claimed that "social networks play a very important role." The French government's next actions will be unveiled throughout the day.

The destruction and lack of control

The list of cities being destroyed is getting longer and longer: Nanterre, Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Lille, Montreuil, Besançon, Rennes:

The media outlet Actu17 released a video on Twitter of two off-duty police officers who were brutally attacked in Marseille. According to the publication both were seriously injured.

Urban violence: Two off-duty police officers recognized and beaten up in Marseille, seriously injured

Journalist Alejo Schapire released a recording that summarizes the chaos that occurred in Nanterre. He defines it as a "war zone." Vehicles and buildings can be seen burning, with rioters shouting uncontrollably and creating more chaos.

Nanterre (Paris suburbs), where the police officer shot the 17-year-old, looks like a war zone tonight.

A Nike store in Paris was completely destroyed.

This is now in the exact geographical center of Paris, the Nike store in the Les Halles shopping center. Justice needs sneakers...

Videos posted on social media also show an SUV ramming into the facade of a Lidl supermarket until they manage to destroy it and enter.

Nantes, ram the entrance of a Lidl supermarket with a car as a battering ram.

The rioters even went so far as to attack and set fire to educational institutions and schools.

Many schools vandalized tonight, here one in the Paris region.

Another of the most striking images is the Alcazar Public Library, the largest in Marseille, engulfed in flames.

Difficult to understand why to protest the death of a young man they burn the largest library in Marseille.

In Aubervilliers, more than 10 buses were completely burned in the parking lot of the Paris Urban Transport headquarters (RATP).

Bus station burned down in Aubervilliers, north of Paris.

A bank in Nanterre was looted. Police officers are seen arriving to disperse the rioters.

A bank looted in #Nanterre: police intervention (...) Situation still under high tension.

In the city of Rennes, rioters knocked down a street post with a car.

In Lyon, a tram car was set on fire by troublemakers.

In Lyon, eastern France, a tramway on fire.

Thursday's riots come in addition to those on Tuesday and Wednesday. Several buildings, vehicles, police stations, public institutions and courts were attacked, looted and set on fire. There was even an attempted assault on the Fresnes prison, in the Marne Valley, to free criminals.

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