France: 40,000 cops deployed after violent protests; here's all you need to know

France violent protests: Around 40,000 police personnel will be deployed across France to quell any further protests in response to the country's outrage at the police killing of a teenager, said interior minister Gerald Darmanin.

At least 5,000 police officers will be stationed in Paris in response to protests over the killing of a 17-year-old following a violent traffic stop.

French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the violent clashes and unrest and said that the acts of violence, which included attacks on and fires set to public buildings, were “unjustifiable.”

'Justice for Nahel'

Visuals from the march in Nanterre, which was undertaken in memory of Nahel, surfaced online. Hundreds of people could be seen on streets, with many wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with "Justice for Nahel."

Several people could also be seen carrying signs with anti-police slogans.

At least 180 arrested

Interior Minister Darmanin said that 180 people were arrested.

"This wasn't about small protest. It was about a small group of people deciding to attack the symbols of the republic... When you attack schools or community centres or city halls, you attack symbols," Darmanin said.

Over 150 officers injured

According to Darmanin, 170 officers were injured in last night's clashes.

The minister also denounced attacks on schools, local town halls and police stations.

Police killing of teen

A 17-year-old boy identified as Nahel was killed after being stopped for a traffic violation in the Paris suburb town of Nanterre on Tuesday. The police officer who is accused of shooting him was taken to jail. According to the authorities, the teenager was in a Mercedes with two other people when the incident took place.

The Nanterre prosecutor's office reported that the 17-year-old was declared dead at 9:15 am (local time) on Tuesday "after at least one gunshot wound and in spite of the intervention of emergency medics."

The statement claims that one of the car's passengers was detained before being let go, while the other, who is believed to have fled the scene, is still missing.

In an earlier interview with CNN station BFMTV, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nunez stated that the officer fired as the teenager refused to follow police instructions.

"This vehicle made a first refusal to comply, then it was blocked in the flow of traffic where there was a new control attempt by the two police officers." "At that time the driver, who had first turned off the engine, restarted the vehicle, then left. It was in this context that the policeman used his firearm."

Irked by the teenager's death, protesters hit the streets in Nanterre.

Videos showing two police officers leaning into a car and one of them firing as the driver pulled away were widely shared on social media.

French President on Teen’s Killing

French President Emmanuel Macron described the fatal shooting of the teenager as "unjustifiable."

Speaking to journalists in Marseille, Macron said, "Nothing, nothing justifies the death of a young man."

"I would like to express the emotion of the entire nation at the death of young Nahel, and give his family our solidarity and the affection of the nation. We need calm for justice to carry out its work. And we need calm everywhere because the situation we can't allow the situation to worsen.”

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- With inputs from agencies

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