Killing of Nahel Merzouk: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:46, 28 August 2024

Revision as of 05:39, 4 September 2024

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== Background ==

{{See also|Crime in France|Law enforcement in France}}

[[File:Justice pour Nahel.jpg|thumb|"Justice for Nahel, justice for all, the racist state kills, our revolts are legitimate!"<br/>Poster for a demonstration in Marseille, following the police shooting|left]]

France saw a rise in [[police violence in France]] in the years before the killing.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |date=27 June 2023 |title=Tensions erupt in a Paris suburb after a 17-year-old Arab man of Algerian descent, a delivery driver, is killed in a police standoff |url=https://apnews.com/article/france-driver-killed-police-tensions-2030c42cce9c24153d395a07d8e95b75 |access-date=28 June 2023 |work=[[Associated Press]] |language=en |archive-date=29 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629001623/https://apnews.com/article/france-driver-killed-police-tensions-2030c42cce9c24153d395a07d8e95b75 |url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, a law was passed permitting police to shoot at a vehicle fleeing a traffic stop, if the driver was putting the passengers or passersby at risk. This shooting was the third fatal shooting that occurred during a traffic stop in France in 2023. In 2020, there were three deaths, followed by two in 2021, and 13 in 2022,<ref>{{cite web |website=Public Sénat |language=fr |first=Simon |last=Barbarit |url=https://www.publicsenat.fr/actualites/politique/refus-dobtemperer-la-porte-parole-de-la-police-nationale-annonce-138-tirs-en-2022 |title=Refus d'obtempérer: la porte-parole de la police nationale annonce 138 tirs en 2022 |trans-title=Refusal to comply: the spokesperson for the national police announces 138 shootings in 2022 |date=29 June 2023 |access-date=1 July 2023 |archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630083444/https://www.publicsenat.fr/actualites/politique/refus-dobtemperer-la-porte-parole-de-la-police-nationale-annonce-138-tirs-en-2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> leading to the indictment of five police officers.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last1=Bisset |first1=Victoria |last2=Suliman |first2=Adela |date=28 June 2023 |title=Protests erupt in Paris after police shoot, kill teen during traffic stop |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/06/28/france-police-shooting-nanterre-nael/ |access-date=28 June 2023 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> The victims were often people of [[Black People|black]] or [[Maghreb]]i origin, leading to allegations of [[systemic racism]] within the French police.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last1=Foroudi |first1=Layli |last2=Jabkhiro |first2=Juliette |date=28 June 2023 |title=Paris police shooting: Macron deplores 'inexcusable' killing of teenager |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/youths-clash-with-police-near-paris-after-teenager-shot-dead-traffic-stop-2023-06-28/ |access-date=28 June 2023 |archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630014015/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/youths-clash-with-police-near-paris-after-teenager-shot-dead-traffic-stop-2023-06-28/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In May 2023, national representatives at the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]] criticized the country's police force and urged the implementation of significant measures to address excessive use of force in demonstrations.<ref>{{Cite news |title=France criticised over police violence, racism at UN |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/1/france-criticised-at-un-over-police-violence-racism |date=1 May 2023 |access-date=28 June 2023 |work=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |language=en |archive-date=29 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629190800/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/1/france-criticised-at-un-over-police-violence-racism |url-status=live}}</ref> The French government has frequently downplayed instances of [[police violence]], sometimes even avoiding the use of the term itself, while [[police union]]s opposed repealing or revising the 2017 law.<ref name="sorrow" />

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== Shooting ==

=== Prosecution version ===

[[File:Mercedes-AMG A 45 S 4MATIC+ Edition 1 (W177) rear.jpg|thumb|A yellow [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W177)]], similar to the one driven by Merzouk]]

[[File:Hommage Nahel lieu deces IMG 20230629 084900.jpg|thumb|Nelson Mandela Square in Nanterre after the killing|left]]

[[File:Hommage_Nahel_lieu_deces_-_IMG_20230704_090039.jpg|thumb|Sign at Nelson Mandela Square: «Combien de Nahel n'ont pas été filmés ?!?» (How many Nahels have not been filmed?)]]According to the public prosecutor of Nanterre, two [[Paris Police Prefecture]] motorcycle officers noticed a [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W177)|Mercedes-Benz A Class]] AMG with a Polish license plate driving at high speed in a bus lane, driven by a young-looking person at around 7:55{{nbsp}}am. The officers activated their warning signals (audible and visual) and indicated to the driver of the car, then stationary at a red traffic light, to stop. The vehicle started moving and ran the red light. The officers followed the car and alerted their superiors via radio. The car committed multiple traffic violations, endangering a pedestrian and a cyclist.

=== Prosecution version ===

According to the public prosecutor of Nanterre, two [[Paris Police Prefecture]] motorcycle officers noticed a [[Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W177)|Mercedes-Benz A Class]] AMG with a Polish license plate driving at high speed in a bus lane, driven by a young-looking person at around 7:55{{nbsp}}am. The officers activated their warning signals (audible and visual) and indicated to the driver of the car, then stationary at a red traffic light, to stop. The vehicle started moving and ran the red light. The officers followed the car and alerted their superiors via radio. The car committed multiple traffic violations, endangering a pedestrian and a cyclist.

Due to traffic congestion, the vehicle was eventually forced to stop. The police officers got off their motorcycles, pointed their guns at the driver, and ordered him to turn off the engine. Instead, the vehicle started to pull away, and one of the police officers, 38-year-old Florian M., working his ninth consecutive day without a day off, fired a shot at the driver at point-blank range. The vehicle continued forward before crashing into the street sign marking the Nelson Mandela Square<ref>{{Cite web |last=Machecourt |first=Clément |date=28 June 2023 |title=Mort de Nahel : Malgré les appels au calme, Nanterre craint une nouvelle nuit de violences |url=https://actu.fr/ile-de-france/nanterre_92050/mort-de-nahel-malgre-les-appels-au-calme-nanterre-craint-une-nouvelle-nuit-de-violences_59789630.html |language=fr |website=actu.fr |quote=Le panneau « Place Nelson-Mandela » penché témoigne du choc de la voiture qui y a terminé sa course. |access-date=24 July 2023 |archive-date=24 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230724015820/https://actu.fr/ile-de-france/nanterre_92050/mort-de-nahel-malgre-les-appels-au-calme-nanterre-craint-une-nouvelle-nuit-de-violences_59789630.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Mort de Nahel M. : les premières constatations de l'enquête |trans-title=Death of Nahel M.: the first findings of the investigation |newspaper=[[Le Monde]] |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/07/05/mort-de-nahel-m-les-premieres-constatations-de-l-enquete_6180715_3224.html |last1=Albertini |last2=Bronner |first1=Antoine |first2=Luc |date=5 July 2023 |language=fr |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720004025/https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2023/07/05/mort-de-nahel-m-les-premieres-constatations-de-l-enquete_6180715_3224.html |archive-date=20 July 2023 |access-date=19 July 2023 |url-status=live }}</ref> at 8:19{{nbsp}}am. The rear passenger was arrested when he exited the vehicle. The front right passenger fled. Florian M. provided first aid to the driver, who was pronounced dead at 9:15{{nbsp}}am.<ref>{{cite news |access-date=29 June 2023 |date=29 June 2023 |language=fr |title=En direct : une information judiciaire pour homicide volontaire ouverte après la mort de Nahel |trans-title=Live: a judicial investigation for voluntary homicide opened after the death of Nahel |url=https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20230629-%F0%9F%94%B4-en-direct-la-conf%C3%A9rence-de-presse-du-procureur-de-nanterre-sur-la-mort-de-nahel |work=[[France 24]] |archive-date=29 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629090936/https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20230629-%F0%9F%94%B4-en-direct-la-conf%C3%A9rence-de-presse-du-procureur-de-nanterre-sur-la-mort-de-nahel |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Esther |last=Paolini |access-date=29 June 2023 |date=29 June 2023 |language=fr |title=Mort de Nahel : le récit de la course-poursuite, minute par minute |trans-title=Death of Nahel: the story of the chase, minute by minute |url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/faits-divers/mort-de-nahel-le-recit-de-la-course-poursuite-minute-par-minute-20230629 |website=[[Le Figaro]] |archive-date=29 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629115630/https://www.lefigaro.fr/faits-divers/mort-de-nahel-le-recit-de-la-course-poursuite-minute-par-minute-20230629 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |access-date=30 June 2023 |date=29 June 2023 |work=[[BFM TV]] |title=Mort de Nahel: le procureur de Nanterre détaille le déroulé des faits |trans-title=Death of Nahel: the Nanterre prosecutor details the course of events |language=fr |url=https://www.bfmtv.com/police-justice/mort-de-nahel-le-procureur-de-nanterre-detaille-le-deroule-des-faits_VN-202306290383.html |archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630020443/https://www.bfmtv.com/police-justice/mort-de-nahel-le-procureur-de-nanterre-detaille-le-deroule-des-faits_VN-202306290383.html |url-status=live}}</ref>