Riots in France continue for the third day as rioters burn down the largest library in Marseilles, President Macron blames video games and social media
France is witnessing a wave of violent protests and riots following the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old boy named Nahel in a Paris suburb on Tuesday. The police officer who shot Nahel has been charged with voluntary homicide and remanded in custody. However, this has not calmed the anger of thousands of people who have taken to the streets to demand justice and denounce police brutality and racial discrimination.
The riots have spread from Paris to other cities such as Marseilles, Toulouse, and Lyon, where cars have been set on fire, shops have been looted, and public buildings have been vandalized. One of the most shocking incidents was the burning down of the largest library in Marseilles, which contained over 300,000 books and documents, some of them rare and irreplaceable.
President Emmanuel Macron has called for an end to the violence and urged parents to keep their children at home. He has also blamed social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook for fueling the riots by allowing violent gatherings to be organized and inciting a "form of mimicry of the violence" among young people who are "intoxicated" by video games.
What is the role of social media in the riots?
According to Macron, social media platforms are playing a "major role" in the events of recent days by serving as places where violent gatherings have been organized, but also by influencing young people to lose touch with reality and act out the violence they see in video games.
He said: "We sometimes have the feeling that some of (the young people) are living in the streets of the video games that have intoxicated them."
He also said that state agencies would ask social media platforms to remove the most "sensitive content" that could incite more violence or show graphic images of the riots.
Some experts have also pointed out that social media can amplify the emotions and grievances of marginalized groups who feel excluded and discriminated by the mainstream society and media.
However, some critics have argued that Macron is scapegoating social media and video games for the deeper social and economic problems that plague France's suburbs, where many young people face unemployment, poverty, racism, and lack of opportunities.
They also say that blaming social media for the riots is a way of avoiding accountability and responsibility for the police misconduct and violence that sparked the unrest in the first place.
What are the demands of the protesters?
The protesters are mainly demanding justice for Nahel and his family, as well as an end to police brutality and racial profiling that disproportionately affect people of color and immigrants in France.
They are also calling for more social justice, equality, and respect for their rights and dignity as French citizens.
Some protesters have also expressed their frustration with Macron's government, which they accuse of being out of touch with their realities and needs.
They have also criticized Macron's response to the riots, which they see as insensitive and repressive. For example, some protesters were outraged by Macron's attendance at an Elton John concert in Paris on Wednesday night while France was "on fire".
How is the government responding to the riots?
The government has deployed 45,000 officers backed by light armored vehicles to quell the violence and restore order across the country. It has also announced that it will put more police on the streets, despite the riots starting because a police officer killed a young boy for pulling away from a traffic stop.
Macron has denounced all violence, particularly toward police officers, by protesters as "intolerable and inexcusable". He has also said that he will not tolerate any "exploitation" of Nahel's death by political or ideological groups.
He has also promised to launch a national dialogue on policing and security issues, as well as to address the social and economic challenges faced by France's suburbs.
However, some observers doubt that Macron's measures will be enough to appease the anger and distrust of many young people who feel alienated and abandoned by the state.
What are the implications of the riots for France?
The riots have exposed the deep divisions and tensions that exist in France's society between different ethnic, religious, and socio-economic groups. They have also revealed the failure of successive governments to integrate and empower France's diverse population, especially its youth.
The riots have also damaged France's image as a stable and prosperous democracy that respects human rights and civil liberties. They have raised questions about France's ability to cope with its security challenges, both internal and external.
The riots have also posed a political challenge for Macron, who is facing low approval ratings and growing opposition from both the left and right ahead of next year's presidential election. He will have to balance his response to the riots between being firm and being fair, between restoring order and addressing the root causes of the unrest, and between protecting the police and holding them accountable.
Conclusion
The riots in France are a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that cannot be reduced to a single cause or factor. They are the result of a combination of historical, social, economic, political, and cultural factors that have created a climate of frustration, resentment, and mistrust among many young people in France's suburbs.
Social media and video games may have played a role in facilitating or amplifying the riots, but they are not the main drivers or sources of the violence. Rather, they are reflections of the deeper issues and challenges that France faces as a diverse and democratic nation.
The riots have also shown the need for dialogue, reform, and action to address the legitimate grievances and demands of the protesters, as well as to prevent further escalation and radicalization of the conflict.
The government, the police, the media, the civil society, and the citizens all have a role and a responsibility to contribute to the resolution of the crisis and the restoration of peace and harmony in France.
Source:
(1) French President Blames Riots On Video Games And Social Media - TheGamer. https://www.thegamer.com/french-president-riots-video-games-social-media/.
(2) Why Social Media Platforms like TikTok Are Being Blamed for Fueling Riots in France?. https://www.news18.com/world/why-social-media-platforms-like-tiktok-are-being-blamed-for-fueling-riots-in-france-8219935.html.
(3) Youths clash with French police and loot in 4th night of riots triggered by fatal police shooting. https://indianexpress.com/article/world/france-police-shooting-riots-4th-night-8695445/.
(4) Why social media is being blamed for fueling riots in France. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/social-media-blamed-fueling-riots-france-100552970.
(5) Protests in France fuelled by social media, French President ... - SBS. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/french-president-says-social-media-causing-copycat-violence-amid-riots-over-teens-killing/11dfx1f41.
