via: Sansnom translated by Act for freedom now!
[Following the police murder of Nahel in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) on Tuesday morning, a first, a second night, a third night, then a fourth night of riots took place across the country, destructive riots of which we published broad illustrated reviews here. And finally, two others (5th and 6th) took place this weekend during the night of 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 July, under heavy police pressure (plus that exerted by para-municipal associative structures or citizens).
What marked these fifth and sixth nights of riots, which the State and its mouthpieces presented as much calmer despite the 157 buildings burned or damaged in a short weekend-end, was in particular that – for lack of being able to hold the street sufficiently or carry out abundant looting as on the previous days/nights – we have also seen in the last two days more targeted and fewer attacks. These have included places dedicated to Justice (Court or House of Law – in Créteil, Aix-en-Provence, Blois, Forbach, Villeneuve-sur-Lot), a tennis club of rich people or private property belonging to the mayors. But rest assured, the institutions of local domination (community centre, media library, town hall, school, police) have not been spared either… ]
Some Numbers
For the night of Saturday 1 to Sunday 2 July, the Ministry of the Interior recorded 871 public road fires, 958 vehicles and 123 
buildings set aflame. A total of 26 police stations (ten police stations, ten gendarmerie barracks and six municipal police stations) were attacked. The Ministry of the Interior reports that 45 members of the security forces were wounded and some 773 people arrested on the fifth night of the revolt.
For the night of Sunday 2 to Monday 3 July, the Ministry of the Interior recorded 352 public road fires, 297 cars burned and 34 buildings burned. Some 157 people were arrested during this sixth night of revolt.
Ile-de-France
In total, between the night of June 27 to 28 and July 2 to 3, there were officially 5,662 vehicles burned, 1,313 buildings burned or damaged, including 254 local police and gendarmerie stations. 722 of security forces were injured.
Lognes (Seine-et-Marne), night of July 1 to 2: the community centre with the incendiary car which was used to ram it.
In Lognes (Seine-et-Marne), on the night of 1 to 2 July, the Simone Signoret social centre was targeted by a car used to ram into it, which was then ignited.
In Groslay (Val d’Oise), a municipal police vehicle is set on fire outside the police station on the night of 1 to 2 July.
Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), night of 1 to 2 July: the Red Cross van did not escape the rioters
In Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), a Red Cross van was set on fire during the night of 1 to 2 July. In a press release, the Red Cross said that this truck contained all of their general public-training materials and cited “very significant” financial harm.
In Nanterre again, on the night of June 30 to July 1, around 2:00 a.m., some 20 rioters attacked a residence complex adjoining a prison that houses the families of some of those working for the ministry of justice. The cars of the residences were smashed and windows of dwellings burst under the fireworks and stones.
Le Mée-sur-Seine (Seine-et-Marne), night of 1 to 2 July: fire of the city’s tennis club
In La Mée-sur-Seine (Seine-et-Marne), the tennis club-house is set on fire during the night of July 1 to 2. The club is now inaccessible because the roof is damaged, and its tournament, which was due to end on July 9, is cancelled
In Fosses (Val d’Oise), on the night of July 1 to 2, the Germinal concert hall was partly burned down around 1:10 a.m. A little earlier, at about 11:45 p.m., rioters attacked the gendarmerie and the gendarmerie living-quarters which were damaged.
Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis), night from 1 to July: the neighbourhood town hall burned down
In Pantin (Seine-Saint-Denis), the town hall “Maison des Courtillières” was set on fire the night of 1 to 2 July. Four tobacco offices were ransacked and looted in the department.
In the Yvelines, a local social-association was burned down in Mantes-la-Jolie and another in Limay.
L’Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne), night of July 1 to 2: the mayor’s home under fire
In L’Haÿ-les-Roses (Val-de-Marne), the mayor’s home is targeted around 1:30 am (Sunday, July 2). The gate of his home is rammed through with a car, which is then set on fire.
Paris. In the 13th district (Olympiades district), two BAC [plain clothes] police officers are injured with a shotgun on the night of July 1 to 2. One was shot in the back, the other in the belly, under his body armor. An investigation has been opened for «attempted murder», says the prosecutor of Paris.
In Draveil (Essonne),on the night of July 2 to 3 between 11 pm and 0:30 am, the leisure centre of the Port aux Cerises is affected by a 
fire: Several fires have been reported in various rooms of the technical floor. Electrical cabinets and analyzers were deliberately destroyed. There is every reason to believe that this is a targeted crime,” notes the president of the Ile de loisirs Union Council. There will be no swimming this summer on the department’s first tourist destination, which hosts between 800,000 and one million visits a year.
Créteil (Val-de-Marne), on the night of July 2 to 3, about thirty individuals attacked the court around midnight and a half with fireworks rockets, causing a start of fire and the intervention of the BRI.
Northern France
Lomme (North), the Le Triangle supermarket goes up in smoke around 2am the night of July 1 to 2.
Feignies (North), around 3am on the night of July 1 to 2, the media library is set on fire with a fire of bins placed in front of it. The plastic arts workshop is burnt out.
Barlin (North), on the night of July 2 to 3, around 4 a.m., six vehicles parked alongside the Peugeot dealership were set on fire, and the fire spread to the entire garage where another ten vehicles were parked.
Grenay (Pas-de-Calais), night of 2 to 3 July: remains of the school bus of the Hauts-de-France region
In Grenay (Pas-de-Calais), on the night of July 2 to 3, a school bus from the Hauts-de-France region is set on fire around 9:40 pm in avenue de la République.
In Hazebrouck (North), Saturday, July 1, around 1 am, the vehicle of public highway surveillance officers (ASVP, municipal cops) is set on fire in the parking lot at the back of the town hall. “They also have four bicycles,” adds the local newspaper with a straight face.
Grand Est
Valdoie (Terr. de Belfort), night of July 1 to 2: the burnt entrance of the Maison pour tous [House for all]
Valdoie (Terr. de Belfort), the Maison pour tous, the municipal building that serves as a space for various associations is burned down on the night of July 1 to 2.
Montceau-les-Mines (Saône-et-Loire), night of 2 to 3 July: the Boulanger van
Montceau-les-Mines (Saône-et-Loire). A delivery van from the Boulanger appliance store was set on fire during the night of July 2 to 3, around 2:30 a.m. The flames damaged part of the back façade of the store.
In Forbach (Moselle), in the Wiesberg district, la Maison de la justice et du droit [the House of Justice and the Law, law centre] is subjected to serious damage in the night of July 1 to 2, following an attempted fire
Rhône-Alpes
Roanne (Loire), night of July 1 to 2: the community centre goes up in smoke
In Roanne (Loire), in the Parc district, the municipal building that houses part of the Condorcet community centre is set on fire the night of July 1 to 2.
Western France
Brest (Finistère), night of 1 to 2 July: Renault dealership cars go up in flames
Brest (Finistère), night of 1 to 2 July: the school canteen did not escape the rioters
In Brest (Finistère), in the district of Keredern, the canteen of the Paul-Dukas school group is burned down on the night of July 1 to 2: 100 m² of 400 were destroyed. In addition, ten cars from the Renault Occasions dealership were set on fire in the Pontanézen district (Gouesnou road).
Plougastel-Daoulas (Finistère), night of 1 to 2 July: the bus won’t be doing any more picking up
In Plougastel-Daoulas (Finistère), on the night of 1 to 2 July, a school bus parked at Sainte-Anne College was set on fire around 4am.
Angers (Maine-et-Loire), night of 1 to 2 July, fire at the Maison des associations
In Angers (Maine-et-Loire), “in the district of Belle-Beille”, the Maison des familles, which brings together various associations in an annex of the Jacques-Tati social centre, was set on fire at night from Saturday 1 to Sunday 2 July.
Coudray (Eure), night of July 1 to 2: the double glazing of the town hall finally gave way, allowing to throw two molotovs inside
In Coudray (Eure), on the night of 1 to 2 July around 3.30 a.m., the double glazing of the town hall is attacked at the side with a sledgehammer, then two molotovs are thrown inside through the hole, igniting several offices of the building.
Lorient (Morbihan), July 1: from rubbish bin to electric transformer…
In Lorient (Morbihan), on the morning of July 1, a rubbish bin on fire ignited an electric transformer on Benjamin-Delessert street, in the city centre. The administrative site that houses the tax office, the Social Security building and the Labour Inspectorate is out of action all day.
In La Riche (Indre-et-Loire), around 1:30 in the morning on the night of July 1 to 2, rioters went into the mayor’s garden to burn his car where it was parked.
Lisieux (Calvados), night of July 2 to 3: tobacconists looted and burned
Lisieux (Calvados), in the Hauteville district, the tobacconist was looted before being burned out on the night of July 2 to 3.
Lucé (Eure-et-Loir), night from 30 June to 1 July: the Mayor’s car burnt out
Lucé (Eure-et-Loir), on the night of June 30 to July 1 at around 3:45 am, a molotov is thrown into a vehicle parked in a parking lot: it was the mayor’s car. The inside ignited and the flames spread to another car parked next to it.
Châteauroux (Indre), night of 1 to 2 July; Rosa Parks College attacked
In Châteauroux (Indre), Rosa-Parks College is attacked during the night (mainly its entrance) from 1 to 2 July, and decides to remain closed for the whole day of Monday. Already a winner for students…
Centre
Montluçon (Allier), night of July 1 to 2: Solutia no longer has a solution
In Montluçon (Allier), the night of Saturday 1st to Sunday 2nd July.
An elected official finished the evening in accident and emergency. He was hit in the head by a stone thrown by the rioters at a delegation of elected officials who tried to intervene.
In the district of Ville-Gozet, about forty rioters attacked several stores, whose home help brand Solutia paid the price by ending up on fire. The rioters then took the direction of the Saint-Jacques 2 shopping centre. After breaking the windows of Intersport, they managed to enter the store, looting it. Darty’s windows were also damaged, but the rioters couldn’t get in.
Orléans (Loire), night of 2 to 3 July, the Orléans Insertion Emploi (OIE) vans in ashes
Orléans (Loire), in the Argonne district, three vans of the association Orléans insertion emploi [employment integration] (OIE, 135 employees) go up in smoke in their parking lot on the night of July 2 to 3.
Blois (Loir-et-Cher), on the night of 1 to 2 July between 2.30 am and 3 am, a bin is set alight in Place Lorjou in an institutional building, under the stairwell near the rear entrance of the building. This houses the House of Justice and Law, the Departmental Union of Family Associations (UDAF) or France victims. Although the fire was extinguished, all the ground and walls are covered with soot, bringing this beautiful world to a stop.
Southern France
Villeneuve-sur-Lot (Lot-et-Garonneà, night of July 1 to 2: the court under fire
In Villeneuve-sur-Lot (Lot-et-Garonne), the two municipal police cars parked in front of the court touching the walls of the building were set on fire.
Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne), night of July 1 to 2: the vehicles of the town hall – including those of its police – burn under the stars
In Moissac (Tarn-et-Garonne), around 3:30 am on the night of July 1 to 2, vehicles parked behind the high metal gate giving access to the municipal parking near the town hall are set on fire: three belonged to the municipal police and are completely destroyed.
In Albi (Tarn), the door of the Tarn prefecture is set on fire by rioters the night of July 1 to 2.
Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), night of 1 to 2 July: fire to the House of Justice and Law [legal advice centre]
In Aix-en-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), in the Jas-de-Buffan district, the House of Justice and Law [legal advice centre] is set on fire during the night of July 1 to 2 shortly after midnight. Several rioters broke into the premises and set fire to the meeting room and reception. Others tried in vain to force the door of the adjoining town hall of the neighbourhood.
Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), night of 1 to 2 July, about twenty new cars are stolen from a Volkswagen dealership
In Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône). On Saturday, 1 July, several hundred young rioters harassed the large police force deployed in the city centre. A gendarmerie helicopter is constantly flying over the neighbourhood. Repelled by the police from the Canebiere, some groups of rioters arrived in the square around 10 pm. Bin fires, tear gas, arrests of three men trying to rob a tobacconists. At 11 pm, several groups try to attack the shopping centres of Grand Littoral (where a Cash Converters is looted) and Merlan in the North and Bonneveine districts, all the south.
On the night of 1 to 2 July between midnight and 1 a.m., a Volkswagen dealership is attacked in the Arnavaux district (north), where 38 cars (mainly new, with no license plate) are stolen after the gate has been destroyed with the ram car. For their part, the police were then mainly focused on the kids at the other end of the city (La Canebière and towards the Old Port), and not in the northern districts. They arrived later, like the cavalry, around 2:00 in the morning.
The losses for traders in the Aix-Marseille region are estimated by insurers to be “more than one hundred million euros”, according to Jean-Luc Chauvin, president of the CCI Aix-Marseille-Provence. In Marseille alone in recent days, “almost 400 shops” have been vandalised, “some in the city centre but also in shopping centres.”
An umpteenth appeal for calm of local religious leaders
(see previous calls here, at the bottom of the article)
In a statement issued on the evening of Saturday 1 July, Azzédine Gaci, rector of the Villeurbanne mosque, said that “the security situation in our cities and neighbourhoods is deteriorating dangerously and is becoming increasingly worrying.”
“Nahel’s unacceptable and inexcusable death cannot justify the damage, looting, vandalism and other attacks with a frightening level of violence,” the imam continues. He “calls on all people of good will, especially parents, not to let their underage children (30% of the rioters [arrested]) hang out and make sure they have returned home before nightfall.”
(Le Monde, 2 July 2023)
OM fans call for calm
The South Winners 1987, one of the two main groups of Olympique de Marseille (OM) supporters, call on Saturday, July 1, the «young people of Marseille» to show «wisdom and restraint and to immediately stop these acts of destruction of our city», Marseille, marked by a new night of riots and destruction.
“By doing so, you are sullying the memory” of Nahel M., killed by a policeman during a traffic control on Tuesday, and “you are also dividing our city, which embodies a unique cosmopolitan pluralism that unites us all,” writes the group in a rare political speech. on social media.
“We therefore strongly condemn these acts of vandalism. We hear your anger but we implore you to control it and channel it», they continue, fearing that these riots, which led to the arrest of 95 people on the night of Friday to Saturday in Marseille, will give “grain to grind to all the extreme vultures”.
Friday evening, it was the organizers of the Hcup, a football tournament organized between neighbourhoods of Marseille by young people of the housing estates and which brings together a large public in a good-natured atmosphere, who also called the young people to calm down.
(Le Monde, 2 July 2023)
Nahel’s family’s call for calm
Nahel’s grandmother told BFMTV on July 2, 2023, that she blames the policeman who killed her grandson and not the police, before calling for calm following the damage and violence.
“The police, fortunately they are there. To the people who are smashing things I say “stop, stop”. Don’t break windows, buses, schools. Stop, it is the mothers who take buses, it is the mothers who walk outside. We want to calm things down. We don’t want them to smash things, they must stay calm, these people… I want it to stop everywhere. This youth is wasting their lives for nothing,” she said.
Patrick Jarry, Mayor of Nanterre, on Sunday asked all of his constituents to relay Nahel’s family’s call to end the violence “I want to thank the family and loved ones who organized a ceremony, despite their immense pain, with great dignity. Following this ceremony, the family is calling for an end to the violence. I ask all Nanterriens to carry this message and take action where they are to ensure that it is respected,” added Patrick Jarry.
(Le Parisien 2 July 2023)
Associations manoeuver in an attempt to pacify
Creil ‘Oise), 1 July 2023
Behind the banner, which reads in black, “Justice for Nahel, in his memory, support for the family, all together against violence”, nearly 80 people walk in the streets of Plateau Rouher in Creil, where several shops were burned down the night before. Among the people gathered, many leaders of associations, but also parents, children, adolescents, who try to call for calm after two consecutive nights of violence.
It was Aïda Bourouina, from the association Pour un sourire [For a smile], who had the idea of this walk. “We said to ourselves that something had to be done. We have always denounced police violence, but we want to be able to tell the kids that there are other solutions than setting fire, she says. We try, we don’t know if it will work, but we try. It’s better than doing nothing.” So they chose to meet in front of the Georges-Brassens community centre, which was burned down during the night.
At his side, the director of the structure, Pascal Gosselin, tries to keep smiling. A little further in the procession, Reduan Sakili and Japhet Ngambali. Both are association managers at the RCCA, one of two football clubs in Creil. They too are there to “show their solidarity with the Nahel family” but also with “traders and people who have suffered damage”.
(Le Parisien, July 1 – extract)
[Synthesis of the 3 July 2023] local and national press,