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Police make 1,000 arrests on ‘less intense’ fourth night of rioting in France

Almost 1,000 people were arrested in a fourth night of rioting in France on Friday, although the country's interior minister claims that the clashes were 'less intense' than earlier in the week. The French national football team has issued an appeal for calm.

Published: 1 July 2023 10:12 CEST
Police make 1,000 arrests on 'less intense' fourth night of rioting in France
A French police officer in riot gear looks on next to burnt cars at the Pablo Picasso neighbourhood in Nanterre on Saturday morning. Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP

France was once again gripped by rioting in towns and cities across the country on Friday night, despite a series of restrictions imposed by the government including a ban on the sale of fireworks, ending public transport at 9pm and the cancellation of large gatherings.

Buildings and vehicles were set on fire in multiple towns, and police targeted with a hail of fireworks and missiles. Looting, which had been sporadic on Thursday night became widespread on Friday.

In total 994 people were arrested and 97 police officers injured, according to interior minister Gérald Darmanin, who described the clashes as “less intense” than on previous nights.

READ ALSO Should I cancel my trip to France because of riots?

The city of Marseille called for extra police reinforcements after a series of clashes and police in Paris fired tear gas on the central Rue du Rivoli to disperse an unauthorised gathering calling for ‘justice for Nahel’ – the 17-year-old boy shot by police on Tuesday, whose death proved the spark for days of rioting.

The French national football team has published an appeal for calm, urging people not to destroy their own communities.

Les Bleus said they were “shocked by the brutal death of young Nahel” but asked that violence give way to “other peaceful and constructive ways of expressing oneself”.

Team captain Kylian Mbappé, who grew up in the tough Paris suburb of Bondy, had earlier said he was “sick for his country” after the death of Nahel.

The teenager’s death – shot at point blank range during a traffic stop – has ignited long-running anger about violence from French police, especially towards young men of colour in the deprived suburbs.

The French government has defended its police force after a UN spokesman said France must examine the “deep racism” within the force. Meanwhile the country’s largest police union released a statement referring to the rioters as “vermin” who they were “at war” with.

Looting and clashes between hooded protesters and police occurred in Paris and its suburbs, Marseille, Grenoble, Dijon, Tours, Saint-Etienne and Lyon and also in numerous smaller towns including Angers and Auxerre. Police in Belgium also announced 100 arrests following demonstrations over the death of Nahel at a football match.

In the Paris suburb of Nanterre – the scene of Nahel’s shooting and where the riots began – nine people were arrested carrying jerry cans and Molotov cocktails. The government on Friday announced a nationwide ban of all petrol in cans, until further notice.

In Saint-Denis, an administrative centre was affected by a fire, and in Val-d’Oise, the Persan-Beaumont town hall and municipal police station caught fire and were partly destroyed.

Saturday night will again see a large police presence and certain restrictions remain in place, including the ending of bus and tram services at 9pm across the country, a ban on the sale of fireworks and petrol in cans and the cancellation of large events including concerts.

Across the country many business – especially supermarkets and McDonald’s – took the decision to close early on Friday.

READ ALSO What to expect this weekend in France

Nahel’s funeral will take place in Nanterre on Saturday. 

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

Factcheck: Is France really trying to ban speaking English at the Paris Olympics?

A resolution by a group of French MPs to 'say non to English at the Paris Olympics' has generated headlines - but will athletes and visitors really be required to speak French?

Published: 3 May 2024 10:10 CEST
Factcheck: Is France really trying to ban speaking English at the Paris Olympics?

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, France’s Assemblée Nationale urged organisers of the 2024 Paris Games, as well as athletes, trainers and journalists, to use French as much as possible.

Annie Genevard, the sponsor of the resolution from the right-wing Les Républicains party, expressed alarm to fellow MPs that “the Olympic Games reflect the loss of influence of our language.”

The French MP’s resolution has garnered headlines, but does it actually mean anything?

Citing examples of English slogans in international sport, she added: “The fight for the French language … is never finished, even in the most official spheres.

“Let’s hope that ‘planche a roulettes’ replaces skateboard and ‘rouleau du cap’ point break (a surfing term), but I have my doubts.”

She’s right to doubt it – in French the skateboarding event is ‘le skateboard’, while the new addition of break-dancing is ‘le breaking‘.

But what does this actually mean?

In brief, not a lot. This is a parliamentary resolution, not a law, and is totally non-binding.

The Games are organised by the International Olympic Committee, the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and Paris City Hall – MPs do not have a role although clearly the Games must follow any French domestic laws that parliament passes.

The French parliament has got slightly involved with security issues for the Games, passing laws allowing for the use of enhanced security and surveillance measures including the use of facial recognition and drone technology that was previously outlawed in France.

So what do the Olympic organisers think of English?

The Paris 2024 organisers have shown that they have no problem using English – which is after all one of the two official languages of the Olympics. The other being French.

The head of the organising committee Tony Estanguet speaks fluent English and is happy to do so while official communications from the Games organisers – from social media posts to the ticketing website – are all available in both French and English.

Even the slogan for the Games is in both languages – Ouvrir grand les jeux/ Games wide open (although the pun only really works in French).

In fact the Games organisers have sometimes drawn criticism for their habit (common among many French people, especially younger ones) of peppering their French with English terms, from “le JO-bashing” – criticism of the Olympics – to use of the English “challenges” rather than the French “defis”.

The 45,000 Games volunteers – who are coming from dozens of countries – are required only to speak either French or English and all information for volunteers has been provided in both languages.

Paris local officials are also happy to use languages other than French and the extra signage that is going up in the city’s public transport system to help people find their way to Games venues is printed in French, English and Spanish.

Meanwhile public transport employees have been issued with an instant translation app, so that they can help visitors in multiple languages.

In short, visitors who don’t speak French shouldn’t worry too much – just remember to say bonjour.

Official language  

So why is French an official language of the Olympics? Well that’s easy – the modern Games were the invention of a Frenchman, the aristocrat Pierre de Coubertin, in the late 19th century.

Some of his views – for example that an Olympics with women would be “impractical, uninteresting (and) unaesthetic” – have thankfully been consigned to the dustbin of history, but his influence remains in the language.

The International Olympic Committee now has two official languages – English and French.

Official communications from the IOC are done in both languages and announcements and speeches at the Games (for example during medal ceremonies) are usually done in English, French and the language of the host nation, if that language is neither English nor French.

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