So far, law enforcement in France has made about 700 arrests. If the riots and crime persist, more people will likely find themselves in police custody.
As France literally burns, Nadia, Merzouk’s grandmother, is urging everyone involved in these riots to stop. Nadia spoke with the French media during a telephone interview, stressing the need to “calm things down.”
Nadia likewise claimed that while she feels unhappy with the police officer who took her grandson’s life, she also maintains faith in France’s greater criminal justice system.
Right now, law enforcement deployments in key areas of France are happening to calm down the chaos. Likewise, the officer who shot and killed Merzouk is already in police custody for “voluntary homicide.”
Macron, too, disavowed the shooting of the young man as “inexcusable.”
What happens next?
The week ahead will reveal if the chaos in France continues or gets worse.
Recently, l’Hay-les-Roses Mayor Vincent Jeanbrun’s family was dragged into the attack. The injuries sustained by the mayor’s wife and small children have now led to calls for France to declare a state of emergency.
