The shooting death of Nahel

Burned out cars in Paris. Aurelien Morissard / AP 

  

Ten billion in damages – 200 companies looted  

 

At least 200 businesses have been looted, 300 bank offices have been destroyed and 250 tobacconists have been affected by the ongoing riots in France. Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, head of the influential employers' organization Medef, appreciates that in an interview with Le Parisien. 

 

He estimates that the damages reach a value equivalent to ten billion Swedish kronor.  

 

- But it is too early to set an exact figure, he says. Furthermore, he says that many of the affected businesses have been completely destroyed. However, he is hopeful that the insurance companies will cover the costs.  

 

AFP writes that the massive riots, which began as protests against the shooting death of a 17-year-old boy, have calmed down somewhat on Monday. 

 

A demonstration for Nahel in the suburb of Nanterre. Michel Euler / AP  

 

 

 

Violence spills over into Switzerland and Belgium  

 

The violence following the death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk in France seems to have spilled over to Switzerland and Belgium, writes The Telegraph. In Lausanne, Switzerland, young people clashed with the police this weekend. On Saturday, around a hundred people gathered in the mostly French-speaking city in western Switzerland. Youths threw stones and at least one firebomb at police. Seven people were arrested after shop windows were smashed.  

 

- These young people are clearly inspired by the situation in France, said a spokesperson for the police.  

 

On Thursday, around ten people were arrested in Brussels after several fires were started. 

 

Nahel's mother has become a front figure in the demonstrations/a video footage showed the moment when Nahel was shot.TT  

 

Fundraising for police who shot has raised millions  

 

A fundraiser for the police who shot dead 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk at a traffic control has raised 850,000 euros, equivalent to ten million Swedish kronor. This is reported by AFP.  

 

The collection has been done online and nearly 40,000 people have made donations. The police are in custody on suspicion of murder. 

 

In an interview with the television channel BFM, Nahel's grandmother says that the collection breaks her heart. 

 

- He took my grandson's life. He has to pay the price for it, just like everyone else would have, she said, stressing that she has faith in the justice system.  

 

Behind the fundraiser is ex-politician Jean Messiha, who has represented Marine Le Pen's National Gathering party and who is close to far-right Eric Zemmour.  

 

Several relatives of Nahel have demanded changes to the law after the fatal shooting, as well as called for peaceful protests.