Macron: ‘Peak’ of French riots has passed
But French president asks police officers to remain on
high alert.
BY LAURA
KAYALI
JULY 4,
2023 2:22 PM CET
https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-peak-of-french-riots-passed/
PARIS — The
“peak” of rioting that has taken place across France in the past week has
passed, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.
“I’ll still
be very cautious over the coming days and weeks, but the peak we experienced in
the first nights [of the riots] is over, and now it’s the lasting, republican
order we all want … and that’s the absolute priority,” he told French mayors,
according to BFMTV.
The French
president gathered at the Elysée Palace with some 250 mayors of cities targeted
during the riots.
The killing
of a 17-year-old of North African descent by a police officer last week has
thrown France into chaos, sparking violent demonstrations across the country
and reigniting long-simmering tensions between the youth and the police, who
have been accused of brutality and racial discrimination.
In the past
week, rioters have looted stores, targeted many symbols of the French Republic
such as schools, police stations, libraries and other public buildings, and, in
one case, attacked a mayor’s home and his family.
The rioting
has shown signs of cooling down. About 72 people were arrested overnight on
Monday, a sharp decrease compared with the weekend.
On Monday
evening, Macron made a surprise visit to police buildings in Paris to show
support for officers. According to Le Parisien, the French president told them
that July 13 and 14 — the eve and day of France’s national holiday — would be a
test.
“I don’t
think it’s behind us. We’ll see what happens on July 13 and 14, and in the
months to come,” he reportedly said, asking police officers to remain on high
alert.
On Tuesday,
Macron announced “emergency legislation” to speed up the reconstruction of
public infrastructure damaged in the riots following the death of Nahel M.
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