Many media reports are excusing the mass riots that are destroying France over the last three days due to “rage” over the police shooting that killed a 17-year-old teen. However, that same media labeled those who protested the rape and murder of 12-year-old schoolgirl Lola by an Algerian migrant in 2022 as “fascists” and “racists,” according to Reconquête party leader Éric Zemmour.
“The death of a young man is always sad, no matter what. But he was not “an angel,” as Kylian Mbappé says. At the age of 17, he already had a very extensive criminal record. On the other hand, when you demonstrate calmly for a child who has been cut into pieces by an Algerian in an irregular situation, little Lola, you are called ‘rebellious,’ ‘fascists’ and ‘racists,’” said Zemmour during an appearance on Europe 1 television station.
As Remix News reported yesterday, the 17-year-old French-Algerian Nahel M., who was shot and killed during a traffic stop, had 15 offenses on his criminal record, including resisting arrest, narcotics offenses, and driving violations, including driving with a fake license plate. On the day he was stopped by police, he also reportedly almost hit a cyclist and pedestrian.
Many media reports have been silent about Nahel M.’s criminal history, with instead many alluding that his shooting was based on “racism.”
For example, France 24 pointed out that the United Nations rights office was “concerned” about police racism following the shooting.
“This is a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement,” spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said.
In contrast, when 12-year-old Lola was raped and killed by an Algerian migrant already scheduled for deportation, the same media went into damage control mode, claiming migrants were “threatened” by growing anger over the issue. Those who marched in Lola’s honor were branded as racist and fascist, even though they conducted peaceful demonstrations and did not resort to widespread looting and violence.
As Remix News reported in 2022, even memorials to the murdered schoolgirl were torn down, while Nahel M., a known criminal, is being lionized by migrant communities across France.
Zemmour also points to similar riots that took place in 2005, but he says these are far worse than that year.
“These riots are much more serious than those of 2005. Why? Because at the time we used 10,000 to 12,000 police officers, today we are at 40,000. And clearly that is not enough Because today all of France is affected and not just the suburbs. Small towns are also affected because for 20 years immigrants have been distributed there,” wrote Zemmour on Twitter.
Damien Rieu, who is a politician for Zemmour’s party, has been regularly posting footage of the ongoing riots and covering them in detail. However, last night he wrote that the scale of the riots is overwhelming.
“This is the first time in 15 years of watching the news that I can no longer follow at all because there are so many riots. If the night does not end in tragedy, it will be a miracle,” he wrote on Twitter.
There are now talks of a state of emergency being called in France, with French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly deciding against it up until now.
However, politicians are questioning whether France even has the means to enforce a state of emergency, as 40,000 police officers have so far failed to quell the disorder.
“The collapse of the country comes to light. Do we even have the means to enforce a state of emergency? Committed to the front line, our police forces will not be able to compensate for the generalized political bankruptcy forever,” wrote Les Republicans MP Aurélien Pradié on Twitter.
Over 850 arrests have been made and dozens of police officers injured during the riots that have spread from Paris to Lille, Marseilles, Lyon and Toulouse.