France to deploy 45,000 security officers for 2nd night in a row as violent protests continue

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - France on Saturday mobilized 45,000 police and gendarmes for a second night in a row amid ongoing violent protests, the country's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced.

The nationwide protests over the killing of Nahel M., a 17-year-old teenager of North African descent, continue to shake France.

Protests continued on Friday for a fourth night across France, while police arrested as many as 1,311 people during the demonstrations, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

Nahel was shot at point-blank range by an officer on Tuesday in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

The officer faces a formal investigation for voluntary homicide and has been placed in preliminary detention.​​​​​​​