Violence in France(France Riots) continues for the third consecutive night following the police’s fatal shooting of a teenager. Rioters are actively setting fires, looting, and burning cars, as well as deliberately attacking and destroying the Alcazar library in Marseilles. The deployment of approximately 40,000 police officers has resulted in clashes and numerous arrests. Law enforcement employed tear gas grenades to confront protestors at Le Vieux Port in Marseille.
The Incident
The France riots broke out after a teenager named Nahel M. was fatally shot by the police. On the third night, incidents of arson, looting, and vandalism occurred in various locations across the country. Rioters specifically targeted police cars, stores, and vehicles, resulting in significant damage. The violence also reached the Alcazar library in Marseilles, leading to its destruction.
830 years after 9 million books in Nalanda were burnt by Islamists, the largest public library in the city of Marseille in France has been set on fire.
Knowledge is everything. The villain understands this more than the victim. pic.twitter.com/omGJ32n2mc
— Anand Ranganathan (@ARanganathan72) June 30, 2023
Escalation of Violence
The protests quickly escalated into widespread riots, affecting cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Pau, Toulouse, Lille, and parts of Paris. Videos capturing violent acts, including clashes with the police, burning vehicles, and looted stores, have gone viral.
Within just three days, the affected cities and towns in France now bear a resemblance to war-torn regions, with burnt vehicles and looted establishments as grim reminders of the chaos.
JUST IN : A truck was stolen and used to break down the entrance door to the shopping center in Drancy, France 🚨🚨🚨
The French police shooting of a 17 year old is being used as an excuse for riots and looting. pic.twitter.com/udYdtbCtY5
— Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) June 30, 2023
Government Response
To restore order, the French government instructed local authorities to halt public transport in the evenings. President Macron announced the deployment of additional police forces throughout the country and urged parents to ensure their children stay off the streets, emphasizing that parents, not the state, bear this responsibility. Furthermore, the President criticized social media and video games during a crisis meeting, attributing them some responsibility for exacerbating the unrest. He called on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok to delete sensitive content that could incite violence.
Comparisons to Historical Tragedies
The destruction of the Alcazar library drew comparisons to the burning of Nalanda University’s library nearly a thousand years ago. Nalanda, an ancient Buddhist monastic institution in India, was renowned as the world’s first residential university and a center of great learning in ancient times. It also suffered a similar fate, with the library being set ablaze by invading forces from the Ghurid dynasty, resulting in the loss of millions of books and manuscripts. This historical parallel highlights the gravity of the situation, where centers of knowledge and cultural heritage have become targets.