President Emmanuel Macron on Friday night faced calls to impose a state of emergency after marauding gangs of rioters – some armed with stolen rifles – clashed with police in a fourth night of mayhem.
Thousands of looters ransacked some of France’s major cities as local police declared they were now at “war” with savage hordes of vermin – with officers from two of the country’s biggest policing unions now threatening to revolt, Daily Mail reports.
Britain’s Foreign Office issued an alert to tourists thinking of travelling to France, as the violence continued to deepen following the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk who was ‘executed’ by French police during a traffic stop on Tuesday.
The teenager’s funeral is being held today to the backdrop of large parts of France being engulfed by fires, violence and devastating riots, with police reporting 471 arrests overnight.
More than two million Britons are set to travel to France as the summer season begins, with officials now imploring tourists to take out travel insurance as they claim it is more important than ever.
Rioters were again seen rampaging through the streets of Marseille, Lille and Paris, amid claims looters broke into a gun shop and stole hunting rifles while others ransacked a police station. Cars, buses and government buildings have been set alight and fireworks have been launched at police.
There were more than 3,800 fires on public roads last night, while more than 500 buildings were set alight.
Emmanuel Macron green lit the use of armoured vehicles and riot police, as 45,000 officers were deployed in a desperate attempt to regain control. But the French president has been blasted for not acting fast enough.
Eric Ciotti, the head of the Republicans party said his country ‘is on the edge of a precipice’ and that “we must wage a merciless war against violence and proclaim a state of emergency in all affected areas”, as he launched a political broadside against Macron.
Domestic intelligence seen by French newspaper Le Monde has also warned the president that riots could become increasingly ‘widespread’ and continue for the ‘coming nights’.
French police have said that they are currently “at war” with savage hordes of vermin, after violence continued throughout the evening.
Two of the country’s biggest police unions have threatened a revolt unless Mr Macron restores order.
They said: “Today the police are in combat as we are at war. Tomorrow we will be in resistance and the government should be aware of this.”