Emmanuel Macron appears to have gained the upper hand in quelling violence that rocked France following the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old of North African descent by a French policeman.
But as an uneasy calm settles over urban centers that saw protesters clash with police, set fires and loot businesses in scenes reminiscent of the 2020 protests in the US over the murder of George Floyd, the French president is left with an even bigger unresolved problem.
While the officer is facing murder charges in pre-trial detention, the massive deployment of police, widespread arrests and swift court procedures are only adding to the perception among low-income neighborhoods and minority communities that they face racism, exclusion and a lack of opportunity.
The president’s ministers also warned parents to take responsibility for kids roaming the streets and social media companies to pull posts glorifying battles with cops and burning cars, with the estimates of damage starting at €100 million.
That risks exacerbating deep divisions within French society that were also apparent during nationwide strikes and demonstrations over Macron’s push to raise the retirement age and especially during the Yellow Vest movement before the pandemic.
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen joined politicians and the government in condemning one attack by protesters in particular — the ramming of a burning car into the home of the mayor of L’Hay-les-Roses, a Paris suburb — in an effort to rally her own supporters.
All of this means Macron is now in a bind.
Any fixes he may plan to roll out in the coming days are limited by his government’s drive to reign in spending to restore public finances.
With criticism of the police shooting and the protests coming from both sides of France’s political spectrum, he’ll be hard pressed to tackle the anger over inequality without losing the narrative to his adversaries.— Tara Patel