France, Protest Against 'Teenager Killed by Police Gunfire'... 667 Arrested Overnight

President Macron to Attend Concert the Following Day

A 17-year-old boy driver who tried to evade a traffic checkpoint in France was shot and killed by police, sparking intensified protests condemning the incident. Amid this, President Emmanuel Macron faced public criticism for reportedly attending a concert by singer Elton John.

According to major foreign media on the 30th (local time), protests criticizing the police have continued across France following the incident, resulting in damage to public buildings, arson, and looting.

The victim, of Algerian descent, was shot dead by police during a traffic checkpoint on the morning of the 27th. Since then, condemnation protests have erupted nationwide, escalating the situation. Protesters threw Molotov cocktails at the police, and in many cities, elementary schools and district offices were set on fire. In other cities, car arson, attacks on bus depots, and store looting continued.

The government deployed 40,000 police and military personnel across France. In the metropolitan area, public transportation such as buses and trams was suspended from 9 p.m., and some cities imposed nighttime curfews.

The French Ministry of the Interior announced that 667 protesters were arrested nationwide the previous night, and 249 police officers sustained minor injuries.

Prime Minister ?lisabeth Borne stated, "Order must be restored to ensure national unity. We will consider all possible scenarios," hinting at the possibility of declaring a state of emergency.

Meanwhile, President Macron reportedly attended Elton John's concert in Paris on the night of the 28th, the day after the incident, drawing public criticism. Thierry Mariani, a Member of the European Parliament from the far-right National Rally (RN), criticized on Twitter, "While France was burning, President Macron was applauding Elton John, not standing beside the Minister of the Interior or the police," calling it "completely irresponsible."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.