Riots in France: The hidden deaths of the Paris riots

“Hello everyone, I’m not dead!” With dark humor, Antoine returned from the living with a video message. He was clearly recognizable at the demonstration on the Place de la République in Paris last Saturday with his white coat as a medic and also audibly shouted that he was a “street medic”. As can be seen and heard on videos, he was beaten, thrown to the ground and dragged away by a police officer, brutally and for no apparent reason. Many network users speculated that Antoine had been killed. That wasn't true, but why a police officer attacked him in this way remains unclear.

The circumstances of two actual deaths in the riots in Paris on Saturday are also unclear. A 59-year-old died on Saturday evening on Boulevard Magenta, which was fought over between demonstrators and law enforcement officers, apparently of circulatory failure. A little later, a 49-year-old died of a stroke in the Les Halles district, where there had been looting and clashes.

In both cases, the rescue teams were able to determine “no third-party influence”. However, it cannot be ruled out that tear gas could have played a role. The authorities initially gave neither confirmation nor denial, which resulted in even more dramatic rumors being circulated. A judicial investigation has now been belatedly announced.

This illustrates how the mood in France is currently being fueled by accusations, alarm and unverified reports. And no one knows what lies ahead on Saturday in the next round of the conflict. Near the Place de la Bastille, business owners are warned by city officials to prepare for looting. In Lyon and Marseille, shopkeepers are said to be thinking of organized self-defense since the last time the police were unable to protect them.

The idea of ​​a vigilante group goes in the direction of the right. On Tuesday, right-wing extremists staged a march in Lyon unmolested by the police. The prospect of street fighting between extremists from the left and right is extremely worrying for the country's leadership. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, whose offer to resign President Emmanuel Macron rejected, promises to deploy enough law enforcement officers in Marseille and Lyon this time. The government was accused of having completely underestimated the risks and the number of protesters on October 17th and was therefore partly responsible for the escalation.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin emphasized on Wednesday that criminals would be sentenced with the utmost severity. Those who looted and stole must expect a prison sentence without parole. And this also applies to young people without a criminal record. The first hearings and verdicts show that the judiciary is following this instruction. Darmanin also pointed out that according to the criminal law, looting, similar to drug trafficking, can be punished with up to ten years in prison.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu had already relied on repression at the beginning of the student blockades. In view of the feared renewed provocations from the “casseurs” and “ultra-lefts,” whom he blames for the explosion of violence, he invited the political parties and trade union associations to talks on Wednesday. He hopes for a united front of the Democrats against the chaotic people. At least he wants more support for state authority and regulatory policy, which has so far been sharply criticized by the left and right opposition.

In a TV speech on Sunday evening, President Macron called on the nation to be calm and promised transparency in the investigation of the violent incidents. Then he set off on a trip to the Arab Gulf states - in the middle of the severe crisis.