France riots see youngsters as younger as 13 arrested as Macron points plea

Children as younger as 13 are among the many tons of of individuals arrested throughout the riots and protests which have erupted throughout France.

Police arrested 341 individuals on Friday alone, as rioting – sparked by the deadly police taking pictures of a 17-year-old driver – continued for the third day yesterday (Friday, June 30). Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin stated the common age of the more-than-900 individuals arrested on Thursday evening was 17.

And, throughout an look on France’s TF1 channel, he stated that Children as younger as 13 have been arrested. It got here after President Emmanuel Macron urged mother and father to maintain youngsters at dwelling – and proposed restrictions on social media.

President Macron stated a 3rd of the people arrested on Thursday have been “young people, sometimes very young”, and that “it’s the parents’ responsibility” to maintain their youngsters at dwelling.

Macron added: “We typically have the sensation that a few of them live within the streets the video video games which have intoxicated them.”

After a second crisis meeting with senior ministers, Mr Macron said social media platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok played a “considerable role” in fuelling copycat acts of violence during this week’s unrest. He said his government would work with technology companies to establish procedures for “the removal of the most sensitive content”.

He did not specify the content he had in mind but said “I expect a spirit of responsibility from these platforms”. French authorities also plan to request, when “useful,” the identities “of those who use these social networks to call for disorder or exacerbate the violence”, the president said.

Meanwhile, French police have said they are “at war” with “savage hordes of vermin”. And two of the country’s top police unions threatened a revolt if Macron’s government doesn’t restore order.

While Mr Macron held off on the option of declaring a state of emergency, his interior minister ordered a complete shutdown of all public bus and tram services across the country to take effect before sunset on Friday.

At least 80 of Friday’s arrests were in Marseille – where Mayor Benoit Payan asked the central authorities for police reinforcements to deal with the unrest. His plea came after rioters reportedly looted a gun store in the port city in the south of the country.

The Reuters news agency quotes police as saying that looters made off with hunting rifles, but no ammunition. Marseille’s Pride event, scheduled for today (Saturday) is one of many major events nationwide to have been cancelled.

Interior Minsiter Darmanin said, late last night, that “important reinforcements” would soon be arriving in Marseille – adding that the coming hours “will be decisive”.

“Entirely legitimate emotions can in no circumstances justify disorder and delinquency,” stated Darmanin.

However, the Interior Minister stated that France noticed a “downturn” in violence throughout the rioting on Friday – regardless of 471 arrests being made. He stated Friday evening was calmer than Thursday, when greater than 900 individuals have been arrested.

Darmanin stated that Friday’s violence was of “much less intensity”. Speaking throughout an evening go to to Yvelines west of Paris, Darmanin stated it was “extremely calm” in some departments.