French President Macron delays Germany visit as violent protests continue

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday postponed a visit to Germany due to ongoing violent protests in his country.

The visit was scheduled to take place from Sunday until Tuesday, announced the office of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Protests continued on Friday for a fourth night across France after the fatal police shooting of Nahel M. during a traffic check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre earlier this week.

French police arrested as many as 1,311 people across the country during the demonstrations, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

About 45,000 police officers backed by armored vehicles were deployed to quell the protests as dumpsters were set alight and property damaged.

According to the ministry, 79 security officials, including police and gendarmes, were injured overnight.

Nahel M., a 17-year-old teenager of North African descent, 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.