Nahel Merzouk: a morally gray situation

In France at the beginning of July, a policeman shot a 17 years old boy consequently killing him.

I think that the situation is a kind of grey zone: neither of the counterparts are entirely innocent. Nahel, a boy of algerian origins was driving a car, illegally as he was uunderage. At that point two policemen tried to stop him (even thought he has no criminal record, it appears that he was well know by the police with accusation such as “ resisting arrest the previous weekend and five times since”. Plus, it seems that his police file included 15 recorded incidents, including the use of false license plates and driving without insurance (besides the underage driving).

When he resisted and tried to escape with the car one of the policeman shot him in the heart, killing him instantly.

That’s why the situation can be conidered a gray zone: Nahel should’ve collaborated with the police, and the police shouldn’t have shot him. From my point of view shooting one of wheels would’ve been more effective. But, that’s on me.

After this the police did a statement, and that’s when things got out of control. A while later a video went viral: depicting a different version of the story from what the two policeman that justified the shooting as “self-defense”.

Things escalated quickly and 5 days of extreme violence started in all France.

When someone wrongs you, it's your right to have the chance to complain about it. But sometimes, even if you originally were in the right, surpassing a certain limit can overturn the situation: now you are the offender.

I was planning on going to Paris for a couple of days and then visit Normandie that exact week, but that’s when the protest started and the plan obviously changed. My cousins, that live in Paris, showed me and told me about the violent protests happening. Their TikTok was overflowing of teenagers and young adults destroying shops, cars and public transport vehicles, going into police stations and even in school causing a ruckus. The protestants were making it difficult for people to carry on their lives as usual. A video particularly strook me, a woman was asking not to destroy her car because she needed it for her daily activities, as going to work. The protestants response was ruthless: the insurance will repay you. They then proceded to destroy her car.

Even tough the reason the protest took place was rightfull, after the damage caused to civilians who were trying to live their life peacefully, the public opinion changed. People started being fearing their fellow citizens.

I witnessed my 10 years old cousin being afraid of going to school, as in France elementary school was not yet closed for summer holidays. My aunt, didn’t even want to return to Paris, but eventually had to.

When my aunt first explained me the situation I thought "it couldn’t be that bad". I couldn’t have been more wrong. What happened in France was similar to what took place in the US during the beginning of the "Black lives matter" movement. The difference was that the French government intervention was effective, even thought I doubt that people’s mind is at peace.

The protests clearly show a deep rooted problem in their society, a problem that should be solved.