By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Authorities in France say they are considering “all options” to restore order, including declaring a state of emergency, following a violent protest that has lasted for three days after the killing of a teenager by French police.
“I won’t tell you now, but we are looking at all options, with one priority: restoring order throughout the country”, French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Friday when asked by reporters if a state of emergency was a possibility, as some right-wing opposition parties have demanded.
The prime minister spoke while visiting a police station in Evry-Courcouronnes south of Paris.
If declared, a state of emergency would give authorities increased powers to declare curfews in localities, ban demonstrations, and give police more freedom in restraining suspected rioters and searching homes.
The country’s President, Emmanuel Macron on Friday cut short a trip to Brussels for an EU summit and was said to be prepared to adopt new measures “without taboos”, an aide said.
Some ministers in the cabinet are known to be opposed to a state of emergency.
“We are calling for a curfew initially, then the imposition of a full state of emergency and the mobilisation of all the forces of law and order in the country,” spokesman for the far-right National Rally Sebastien Chenu told LCI television Friday.
“Right now we’re at the bottom of a cliff and we need to be extremely tough,” he said.
The head of the right-wing Republicans party, Eric Ciotti, had called for a state of emergency on Thursday, saying “The nation cannot waver in any circumstances”.
A policeman had been charged to court following the killing of a 17-year-old boy during a traffic stop near Paris on Tuesday.
The teenager, named as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he drove off and crashed soon afterwards.
Anger at his killing has sparked violence across the country. A march led by the boy’s mother was marred by clashes on Thursday afternoon.
In a third night of unrest, 667 people were arrested, French officials say.
