France: Mobs run riots for the fourth day amidst govt crackdown, countries issue travel warnings. Here is what happened

France was engulfed  in a fourth day of violent clashes and looting as rioters confronted the police and looted stores. Despite the government’s repeated calls for calm and increased policing, the unrest continued on Friday (June 30).

An Apple store in Strasbourg was looted, following which the cops fired tear gas shells at the rioters. At the same time, a fast-food outlet’s windows were smashed in Paris. Attempts were also made to break into a closed store, which was successfully thwarted by the police officers.

The southern port city of Marseille, initially spared from the violence in Paris, experienced a second consecutive night of unrest. A frenzied mob of rioters threw projectiles, set fires, and looted shops, leading to at least 50 arrests.

Furthermore, the rioters also broke into a gun shop in Marseille and stole weapons. A man was subsequently arrested with a hunting rifle. Violence spread to the suburbs of Lyon, where rioters engaged  in arson, clashed with police and attempted to loot shops.

Additionally, an unauthorised protest against police violence drew around 1,300 people to the city centre. The authorities made 21 arrests in response to the unrest. The riots were not limited to mainland France, as its overseas territories also experienced turmoil.

To address the law and order situation, President Emmanuel Macron decided against declaring a state of emergency. The French government instead deployed an additional 5,000 officers on Friday (June 30) night, bringing the total number to 45,000.

As per reports, some officers were also called back from their vacations. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin informed stated that the police had made 1300 arrests so far in connection to the riots.

He also implemented a nationwide night-time shutdown of public buses and trams, as they were targeted during the three consecutive nights of riots. Darmanin also issued a ban on the sale and carrying of powerful fireworks, as well as the sales of containers of gasoline, acids, and other flammable substances.

He also warned social media networks that they should not allow their platforms to be used for inciting violence and emphasised the importance of their cooperation in identifying those who promote violence.

In French Guiana, a 54-year-old individual was killed by a stray bullet when rioters fired at the police in the capital city of Cayenne. On the Indian Ocean island of Réunion, rioters engaged in burning garbage bins, attacking the police, and damaging vehicles and buildings. In response, authorities announced the deployment of 150 officers to maintain security throughout the weekend.

President Macron addressed the role of social media platforms in fueling the violence, specifically mentioning Snapchat and TikTok. He called for collaboration with technology companies to establish procedures for removing sensitive content and stressed the need for a sense of responsibility from them.

In response, Snapchat announced an increase in moderation efforts to identify and act upon content related to the riots in France. Meanwhile, two of the country’s top police unions, Alliance Police Nationale (APN) and UNSA Police issued a statement , saying that are engaged in a war against vermins.