The protests that erupted in the suburbs following the shooting and subsequent death of a 17-year-old Nahel by the police, allegedly for failing to comply with a stop order, have been continuing for over a week, rapidly gaining momentum.
How did this accumulated anger fuel the uprising? What are the aspirations of the people? And where do the youth stand in this rebellion?
For the past week, large-scale protests have been taking place in several cities across France, notably in the capital city of Paris.
Initially, the police claimed that Nahel, the 17-year-old in question, had intentionally driven his vehicle towards them with the intent to harm. However, verified footage circulating on the internet contradicts the police’s statement. The footage reveals that there were two police officers next to the vehicle, with one pointing a gun through the car window.
Following the fatal shooting of Nahel by the police on the grounds that he did not comply with their stop order, protests erupted in the suburbs and rapidly gained momentum. As a result, a total of 3,400 individuals have been detained.
The protests have spread throughout the country, leading to the damage of over 230 buildings, including police stations and municipal buildings. Cities such as Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Strasbourg, and Lille have witnessed incidents of arson targeting buildings and vehicles, as well as widespread looting of stores.
At Nahel’s funeral held on Saturday, his grandmother made a plea for calm. Grandmother Nadia stated, “We don’t want them to destroy shops, buses, or schools. They are using Nahel as an excuse.” His mother, in distress, expressed, “What am I going to do now? I dedicated my life to him. I have only one child; I don’t have 10 children. He was my life, my best friend.”
The police officer who shot Nahel has been suspended and is currently under arrest, facing charges of intentional homicide.
Youth at the forefront
According to BBC Turkish’s news article, Nahel’s death has reignited long-standing complaints about police violence and racism among economically disadvantaged French citizens of diverse ethnic backgrounds. A young individual advocating for justice for Nahel explains the situation as follows: “Police violence happens every day, especially if you are Arab or black.”
The unrest sparked by Nahel’s death reminds many people in France of the events in 2005 when Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré, after fleeing from the police in the Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois following a football match, tragically collided with an electrical substation, resulting in their electrocution.
According to sociologist Fabien Truong, a professor at Vincennes-Saint-Denis Paris 8 University, young protesters across the country think, “This could have been me,” as reported in Le Monde.
Truong states that these individuals believe they are being controlled not because of what they have done but because of who they are. He adds that the fear of the police continues into their middle age, and the political discontent and insecurity of those living in public housing can be explained in this way.
According to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, the riots are orchestrated by “young people” who move in small groups and coordinate their actions through social networks.
Associate Professor Mustafa Poyraz, who has worked directly in the suburbs since the 1990s and conducted field research in the area immediately after the 2005 events, emphasizes that the uprising should be addressed in conjunction with other issues in France, including discrimination.
“It’s not just immigrants; most immigrants are in the suburbs because they are poor. Wealthy immigrants do not live there and are not even considered immigrants,” Poyraz adds.
“There are also French people in the suburbs. There are those who have been pushed to the margins of society, the poor. They think, ‘No one cares about us,’ and they feel ‘worthless.’ Therefore, this issue goes beyond immigrants; it is related to economic and social mechanisms. But everyone finds it convenient to see it as a ‘foreigner issue.’ This also strengthens the far right.
The incident is only seen from the perspective of immigration and religion. The press also emphasizes this aspect, which leads to the rise of French nationalist factions. Moreover, this is beneficial for economic actors because it helps cover up many problems and narrows down the scope of social dynamics and struggles.”
The political economy of the uprising
According to Esmeray Yoğun, an academic and trade unionist living in Paris, the uprising in France is driven by poverty, social injustice, and the anger of the youth who have been deprived of public services.
The mainstream French media focuses on “what happened” rather than asking the question of “why” regarding the uprising in the country. Yoğun emphasizes the need to look at the political economy of the issue, particularly highlighting the issue of youth unemployment in the country. Yoğun points out that social injustice, which began to rise during the Sarkozy era, has gained momentum under the Macron government, with a particular emphasis on youth unemployment.
“When discussing the question of “why” this happened, it is necessary to look at the political economy of the situation. There have been protests led by unions against the retirement reform, which received significant media coverage in Turkey. There is also the Yellow Vests movement of 2018, which also spread to countries like the Netherlands and Belgium. Let’s examine what has changed from the Sarkozy era to the Macron government… In discussing this, I particularly want to focus on social injustice towards the youth. There are many data points we can pay attention to, but I believe the most crucial one, if we are looking at the political economy, is youth unemployment. Youth unemployment in France has reached alarming levels. As unemployment rises, youth unemployment increases at an even higher pace. We’re talking about rates reaching up to 27% among those aged 15-24. This is growing steadily, especially after Macron assumed office. Here, we see Macron’s compromises and collaborations with the wealthy segment, which contradict the promises he made before coming to power. We can already observe his decision to abolish the wealth tax as soon as he took office.”
Yoğun emphasizes the “slave-like” consequences of unequal opportunities against marginalized youth in the labor market, highlighting that the preference of the Macron government is in favor of capital:
“In a study, it was revealed that residents of ghettos in major cities have a 23% lower chance of getting a job or seizing any opportunity compared to those with similar qualifications applying for jobs in Paris. When we put all of these together, it is particularly evident among young people in the ghettos. We see a capital that is trying to create its own slaves, and a government that has pre-arrangements with them. We see promises made to not break or further enrich capital. These young people’s position in the labor market is truly akin to slavery. We see workplace homicides, accidents, security measures, and social rights that are not even discussed. We see that it is the youth who unquestionably pay the price for these.”
Sources: BBC Turkish, Sputnik Turkish