Inside, Emmanuel Macron was sharing a typically polished vision of a rejuvenated, safer Marseille. Yet it was outside the spruced-up gym in the impoverished Busserine district – tensions building on the hottest day of the year – where the real story was playing out.
Little more than 12 hours before the police killing of a 17-year-old boy 500 miles north in Nanterre would convulse the country, scores of officers clutching assault rifles and bulletproof riot shields clashed with teenagers of north African descent, trading insults as officers profiled potential troublemakers.
“Marseille’s districts abandoned by the police” AKA Intensely hostile “NO GO Zones” established by drug gangs.
Much of the worst footage is coming out of Marseille, with fireworks targeted at cars, massive stores looted by hundreds of men, and fires set reaching five stories high. #FranceRiots pic.twitter.com/miGY4e83At
— verity ♀ (@verityveratee) July 1, 2023
500+ Police stations attacked
100+ Police injured
2500+ Fires in streets
1500+ Cars burnt
234 Buildings burntOnly a Far-Right leader like Modi can put a leash on such animals. #franceriots #Wokeflix pic.twitter.com/bRSs2nI5Yq
— Wokeflix (@wokeflix_) July 1, 2023
