- Feb 5, 2002
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OSV News) — The leaders of the Conference of Religious Leaders in France, representing Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant and Buddhist communities, issued a June 30 joint statement appealing for peace, harmony and fraternity amid violent protests that have engulfed the country.
The unrest broke out June 27 after Nahel M., a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent, was shot by police during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a Paris suburb. Police violence and racism — particularly toward those who are of Arabic or black African descent in France, especially Muslims — has been alleged as playing a role in Nahel’s killing.
“We share the pain of Nahel’s family and pray for them, especially for his mother. We hear the suffering and anger being expressed,” religious leaders wrote in their appeal.
“We encourage our leaders and the Nation’s elected representatives to work together, with responsibility, to bring back justice and peace,” they said.
A police officer involved in the shooting has been charged with voluntary homicide and arrested. He claimed to have fired the shot fearing that he, his colleague or someone else could be hit by the car, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian reported, however, that video footage circulating on social media showed Nahel’s car was stationary when one of the two police officers had a gun drawn point blank at the driver. “You are going to get a bullet in the head,” a voice is heard saying, before the car attempts to leave and a shot is fired.
Protests following Nahel’s killing quickly became riots, and 45,000 police officers were deployed across France to respond to chaotic mobs looting buildings and torching vehicles.
Continued below.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
The unrest broke out June 27 after Nahel M., a 17-year-old of Algerian and Moroccan descent, was shot by police during a traffic stop in Nanterre, a Paris suburb. Police violence and racism — particularly toward those who are of Arabic or black African descent in France, especially Muslims — has been alleged as playing a role in Nahel’s killing.
“We share the pain of Nahel’s family and pray for them, especially for his mother. We hear the suffering and anger being expressed,” religious leaders wrote in their appeal.
“We encourage our leaders and the Nation’s elected representatives to work together, with responsibility, to bring back justice and peace,” they said.
A police officer involved in the shooting has been charged with voluntary homicide and arrested. He claimed to have fired the shot fearing that he, his colleague or someone else could be hit by the car, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian reported, however, that video footage circulating on social media showed Nahel’s car was stationary when one of the two police officers had a gun drawn point blank at the driver. “You are going to get a bullet in the head,” a voice is heard saying, before the car attempts to leave and a shot is fired.
Protests following Nahel’s killing quickly became riots, and 45,000 police officers were deployed across France to respond to chaotic mobs looting buildings and torching vehicles.
Continued below.
Religious leaders plead for dialogue and peace as violent riots convulse France
The leaders of the Conference of Religious Leaders in France issued a June 30 joint statement appealing for peace amid violent protests that have engulfed the country.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
