French residents deplore damages caused in protests over police killing of teen

By Feiza Ben Mohamed

MARSEILLE, France (AA) – Intense protests have shaken France since last week when police killed an Algerian-origin teenager in a Paris suburb.

Public buildings and vehicles were set on fire by angry protesters across several cities, while incidents of looting and plunder were reported.

The city of Marseille in southern France remained calm until Friday, but the situation got out of control over the weekend.

Fatma, a resident of Marseille in her 50s who only gave her first name due to fear of reprisals, told Anadolu: "Why is it that the city center is all cleaned up and here, in the working-class neighborhoods, we still have burnt trucks in the middle of the road?"

"When it happens in our area, it seems that nobody is interested," Fatma added. "This is not new though, it has been like this for 50 years."

A police officer shot dead Nahel M. on June 27 during a traffic check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after he ignored orders to stop.

The officer faces a formal investigation for voluntary homicide and has been placed in preliminary detention.

- Daily life disrupted

A store of the supermarket chain Aldi in the city was attacked by unidentified people in a car, and then looted and set on fire.

"So should we not eat or drink anymore?" said Fadela, an Algerian-origin woman in her 80s.

Only giving her first name due to fear of reprisals, she called on the protesters to stop destroying utility stores and public goods.

"What are we going to do without buses and shops now? We will be sanctioned and I doubt that the state will help us rebuild what was destroyed," she added.

On Saturday morning, a young resident of the 14th district of Marseille, was spotted outside the burned remains of Aldi.

"We hope that the government is aware of the situation," he said, refusing to reveal his identity.

Complaining of racist attitudes of the French police, he said: "They become aggressive as soon as they see us."

The protests were relatively mild on Sunday night, with police arresting 21 people.

As many as 350 firefighters were deployed at the protest sites.

One firefighter told Anadolu that they extinguished big and small fires, including the one at Aldi.

*Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara