Police, protesters clash in western France

By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS (AA) - Waves of violent clashes between riot police and young people took place in three neighborhoods of western French city of Nantes on Tuesday night after police allegedly shot dead a young man.

Several cars were set on fire and a shopping center was partly burned in the Breil neighborhood as police confronted angry young people, some armed with Molotov cocktails.

The slain youth, said to be a man in his twenties, was killed on Tuesday at 8.30 p.m. (1830 GMT) in Nantes during a police check of a vehicle after he "refused to comply" with police requests, according to media reports quoting police sources.

Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet on Wednesday called “for absolute calm, as the rule of law will be completely respected”.

Police authorities are investigating to clarify "the facts and determine in what circumstances the policeman used his weapon", according to Pierre Sennes, Nantes' public prosecutor.