Police in full riot gear floods Nantes following violent clashes (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
Hundreds of riot police officers have been deployed to the streets of the western French city of Nantes following violent clashes that erupted in the city earlier after a young man was gunned down by police.
Videos posted on social media show heavy police patrols, as well as scores of police minivans, moving along the streets of Nantes on Wednesday. On many occasions, police effectively blocked entire streets in apparent attempts to maintain security.
Les affrontements continuent à #Breil#Nantespic.twitter.com/AxnlmCgYsE
— Jonathan Moadab (@Moadab_RTfr) July 4, 2018
Avenue de la Jalotterie deux colonnes de gendarmerie s’avancent. #Breil#nantespic.twitter.com/hwP19M2qxe
— Marion DUBOIS (@delabuche) July 4, 2018
Les gendarmes en rang serrés à #Breil#Nantes#police@LCIpic.twitter.com/SWDjIuTdH7
— Camila Campusano (@c_vcampusano) July 4, 2018
The night before, those areas witnessed massive riots, during which the angry mob was setting cars alight and throwing Molotov cocktails during clashes with police.
The outbreak of violence was provoked by the death of a 22-year-old man, identified as Aboubakar F., who was shot dead on Tuesday night as he tried to avoid a police inspection and flee the scene. Even though the situation has largely calmed down, by around 3:00 in the morning, additional police forces were apparently sent to the city.
The locals, however, are apparently not pleased to see the massive police presence. The officers have been repeatedly pelted with various projectiles by the locals right from the windows of the nearby buildings, as well as by groups of angry locals in the streets. Police responded with tear gas as tensions seemed to be growing once again.
Regain de tension rue de la Maison Blanche au #breil. Les forces de l’ordre ripostent à des jets de projectiles par de nombreux tirs de lacrymogène pic.twitter.com/62L4NhISdv
— Mathieu Gruel (@mathieugruel) July 4, 2018
Ça se tend au #breil. Les gendarmes mobiles avancent rue de la Maison Blanche où des projectiles sont jetés depuis les appartements sur les forces de l’ordre. La riposte se fait à coups de lacrymo tirées vers les immeubles et sur un groupe d’habitant, au pied des logements. pic.twitter.com/4121B4DYRW
— Mathieu Gruel (@mathieugruel) July 4, 2018
At some streets, the officers were met with angry chants and booing by the crowd.
#nantes #breill# les forces de l ordre arpentent le quartier du Breil sous le regard surpris des habitants. Et les insultes. pic.twitter.com/uK4zm502w6
— veronique escolano (@vescolano) July 4, 2018
The city is still recovering from the unrest that engulfed it on Tuesday night. Piles of garbage can be still seen burning near the overthrown dustbins on some streets.
Feu de poubelle #Breil#Nantespic.twitter.com/ssNvYiaZZE
— Jonathan Moadab (@Moadab_RTfr) July 4, 2018
Meanwhile, the prosecutor of Nantes, Jean-Pierre Sennes, told the French media that the man who was killed by police was in fact wanted for theft and membership in criminal gangs. He also allegedly used a fake identity of Mamadou D, as he was also on the wanted list for robbery since June 15.
He was also previously known to police as he committed about a dozen offenses, including a gang robbery, burglary and criminal conspiracy, Le Parisien reports. His vehicle was also allegedly used in drug trafficking.
