ADDS NUMBER OF ARRESTS
By Esra Taskin
PARIS (AA) - Law enforcement authorities in France arrested 176 people on Thursday amid protests over the police shooting death earlier this week of a 17-year-old delivery driver in a Paris suburb.
It came as local authorities in France imposed a nighttime curfew in four regions. Clamart commune, located 8.7 kilometers (5.4 miles) from the center of Paris, imposed a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until Monday, while local authorities also announced curfews in Neuilly-sur-Marne, Savigny-le-Temple and Compiegne.
In Neuilly-sur-Marne, the curfew will be in effect from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. until Monday, while in Savigny-le-Temple, it will be enforced from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. until Sunday, according to local reports.
In Compiegne, a curfew will be imposed on those under the age of 16 who are not accompanied by a parent between 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. until Monday.
Valerie Pecresse, president of the Ile-de-France region, also announced that bus and tram services in and around Paris will be suspended after 9 p.m. on Thursday to protect employees and passengers.
Laurent-Franck Lienard, the lawyer of the officer accused of shooting the delivery driver, identified as Nahel M., said they will object to his arrest warrant, adding his client acted in “compliance with the law.”
Nahel was shot dead in the Paris suburb of Nanterre by the police officer after he failed to stop during a traffic check.
His death sparked protests in Nanterre, leading to overnight clashes between demonstrators and police.
French prosecutors said Thursday that the officer who killed the teenager has been charged with voluntary homicide and placed in pre-trial detention.
Earlier, tensions rose during a solemn march led by Nahel's mother in Nanterre. Paris police reported that more than 6,000 people joined the protest gathering.
An Anadolu reporter on the ground said police used tear gas to disperse the protesters. However, no injuries have been reported among the participants.
According to Radio France, Paris police arrested seven protesters.
"I don't feel protected. When I go outside and see the police, I think maybe they are going to shoot me. It's unbearable," Sophia, a 17-year-old girl who joined the march, told France Info radio.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told reporters on Thursday that 40,000 police officers, including 5,000 in Paris, would be deployed across France this evening for possible demonstrations.
Earlier in the day, Darmanin said on Twitter that the number of arrests rose to 150 following Nahel’s killing.