Young Man Dies After Falling From Supermarket Roof During France Riots

On Jul 1, 2023

Friday night’s riots in Rouen, northern France, and other cities, which were sparked by the police officer’s fatal shooting of Nahel, a 17-year-old, tragically claimed the life of a young man. According to local authorities, the incident happened when the person fell from the roof of a supermarket in the Petit-Quevilly neighborhood’s Bruyeres shopping center during a time of unrest, according to Reuters.

The supermarket was allegedly being looted by rioters when the man fell from the roof, according to a police source quoted by the news source. In contrast, the public prosecutor’s office previously told BFMTV that, based on their ongoing investigation, it was still unclear whether the store had actually been the target of a looting attempt.

While this was going on, Le Monde reported that the man, who was about 20 years old, crashed through the mall’s roof while attempting to break into the supermarket, suffering life-threatening wounds that ultimately resulted in his death.

Violence and anarchy have increased as a result of the ongoing riots in many French cities, including Paris, Montpellier, Lyon, and Toulouse, among others.

The French Ministry of Interior reported that during the night of Friday to Saturday, 1,350 vehicles were set on fire, 234 buildings were either burned down or vandalized, and 2,560 fires were reported on public thoroughfares. The protests have also significantly damaged both public and private property.

Online videos showing violent altercations between police and protesters, as well as instances of arson and vandalism, have gone viral.

Approximately 45,000 police officers and gendarmes have been deployed nationwide as part of the authorities’ and law enforcement agencies’ ongoing efforts to regain control and restore order.

Citizens have expressed their demands for justice and accountability after Nahel, who was of Algerian and Moroccan descent, was killed by French police, igniting a wave of rage and frustration.