The incident has sparked outrage and led to confrontations between protesters and police. Almost a thousand of people have been arrested, and hundreds of officers have been injured in clashes with angry crowds.
On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron left the EU summit in Brussels and canceled his press conference, heading instead to a government crisis meeting on the ongoing unrest in France.
French Minister Delegate of Cities and Housing Olivier Klein said that the French authorities do not exclude the introduction of a state of emergency due to the unrest.
In response, the French interior minister has deployed 40,000 police officers to maintain order and prevent further violence. The police chief in Nanterre has publicly stated that the use of a weapon in the incident that led to the 17-year-old’s death was not justified, leading to a murder investigation.
The protests have already had significant consequences on the affected towns and cities. Burned cars, damaged buildings, and debris are visible signs of the unrest that has unfolded.
Check out Sputnik's gallery to see the violent protests in France: