The grandmother of French teenager of African descent Nahel M, who was shot dead by the police, reacted to the expanding violent protests in France over her grandson’s killing.
On Sunday, Nadia, Nahel M’s grandmother, issued a plea for calm telling people to “stop and do not riot”.
“We don’t want them to destroy shops, buses and schools,” Nadia told a French TV channel BFM.
“They are using Nahel as an excuse,” she said. “We want things to calm down.”
Nahel’s grandmother told BFM TV news channel that her daughter “no longer has a life” after Nahel’s death.
She said that she “resents” the men who killed her grandson but she does not hate all other police officers.
Asked about the money reportedly donated for the police officer who got arrested after being seen shooting Nahel dead, Nadia said that her ‘heart is in pain’.
‘No violence will go unpunished’: French prime minister
Hours after the home of Vincent Jeanbrun, mayor of the southern suburb of L’Hay-les-Roses, was ram-raided and set alight while his wife and children were asleep, Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne visited Jeanbrun’s house.
“No violence will go unpunished,” Borne said.
Meanwhile, the Association of Mayors of France called for a rally of citizens and mayors on Monday in Jeanbrun’s support.
Nahel’s funeral
Besides, hundreds of people gathered in French suburb Nanterre’s grand mosque to attend the funeral of 17-year-old Nahel M.
Some of the mourners were heard saying. “God is Greatest” in Arabic.
Around 45,000 police personnel were on the streets of France with reinforcements consisting of specialised elite units, armoured vehicles, along with helicopters brought in to reinforce Paris, Lyon, and Marseille.
Also watch | France unrest: Fifth night of riots after police shoot teen
On Sunday morning, the situation in France was calmer than the previous four nights after local authorities announced bans on demonstrations, ordered public transport to stop running in the evening, and some local authorities imposed overnight curfews.
Overnight on Saturday, over 700 people were arrested across France, about a thousand less than arrested on Friday night.
