'Unspeakable Cowardice': Rioters In Paris Ram Car Into Mayor's House, Injuring His Wife And Children

Protests in France turned ugly when some of the rioters rammed a car into the city Mayor's house and injured his wife and child.

Crowds protest during a memorial march for French teenager, Nahel, who was killed by police on June 29, 2023 in Nanterre, France. ( Image Source :Getty )

New Delhi: As protests in France continue following the death of a minor by a police official, rioters rammed a car into the home of the Mayor of a town south of Paris while injuring the Mayor's wife and one of his children. The Mayor of L'Hay-les-Roses town, Vincent Jeanbrun on Sunday tweeted that the protestors "rammed a car" into his home prior to 'starting a fire' while his family slept. "My wife and one of my children were injured. It was an attempted murder of unspeakable cowardice," said Jeanbrun.

His tweet further read, "Last night a milestone was reached in horror and disgrace."

Cette nuit, un cap a été franchi dans l'horreur et l'ignominie. Mon domicile a été attaqué et ma famille victime d'une tentative d’assassinat.

Ma détermination à protéger et servir la République est plus grande que jamais. Je ne reculerai pas. #PasPourRien #Emeutes ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/9HW1eAFCXN

— Vincent Jeanbrun (@VincentJeanbrun) July 2, 2023

The horrific incident took place on the fifth night of chaos across France. Rioters torched up vehicles, attacked infrastructures, and clashed with security forces after police shot dead a 17-year-old boy, Nahel M, while he was trying to flee a traffic stop.

By early Sunday, police have arrested 719 people across the nation after a mass security deployment was observed to quell France's worst social upheaval in years, reported Hindustan Times.

The fast-growing violence in the nation is posing a challenge to President Emmanuel Macron's leadership. It is also exposing deep-seated discontent in comparatively poor neighbourhoods over discrimination against them and lack of opportunity for them.

How It Began

The death of a 17-year-old minor named Nahel on Tuesday sparked a protest in the city. A police officer shot the minor when he refused to comply with the traffic violation rules. As night crept in, a small crowd gathered on the Champs-Elysees for a protest over his death and police violence but they were met with hundreds of officers who had batons and shields with them. In a less-chic neighbourhood of northern Paris, protesters torched vehicles and lit barricades on fire while the police attempted to shoot back with tear gas and stun grenades.

Various schools, police stations, town halls, and stores were caught under fire and in the vandalism that the protestors were carrying out.