More than 986,000 euros ($1.07 million) were raised on Monday for a French policeman who killed a teenager last week, setting off widespread riots, much surpassing donations made to the victim's family.
An online fundraising campaign for the French policeman involved in a shooting incident that led to nationwide riots has amassed over 1 million euros, overshadowing the donations received by the victim's family. The campaign, initiated by a far-right media commentator on Gofundme.com, has garnered support from more than 40,000 individuals.
The amount raised significantly surpasses the close to 189,000 euros collected for the family of Nahel, a 17-year-old of North African origin who was fatally shot by the policeman. Nahel lived with his mother in a housing estate in a western suburb of Paris. His grandmother expressed heartbreak over the overwhelming support for the policeman, emphasizing the need for justice to be served.
Nahel's grandmother said she was "heartbroken" by the support shown for the policeman. "He took the life of my grandson. This man must pay, the same as everyone," she told the BFM channel on Sunday. "I have confidence in the justice system. I believe in justice."
Vidéo de Nahel 👇💬 pic.twitter.com/TUgtwwjwYO
— __Chaksou (@__chaksou)The shooting, which occurred during a traffic stop, has exposed deep political divisions in France. Right-wing figures have rallied to support the security forces, while those on the left perceive the incident as a manifestation of systemic racism within the police.
The widespread riots and looting that followed the shooting have further exacerbated the polarization. Politicians from the ruling centrist party and the left have criticized the fundraising campaign for the policeman, initiated by far-right commentator Jean Messiha, who has close ties to anti-Islam politician Eric Zemmour. The collection has been deemed "indecent and scandalous," with concerns raised about its potential consequences.
"Jean Messiha is playing with fire," ruling party MP Eric Bothorel wrote on Twitter.
« Doit-on rappeler à Jean Messiha que le tribunal qui fixera, selon toute probabilité, les dommages et intérêts versés par le policier à la famille de prendra en compte ses moyens financiers pour en déterminer le montant ? » 🙃 https://t.co/hNODUnUxja
— eric bothorel (@ebothorel)Olivier Faure, the leader of the Socialist party, sent a letter to Gofundme in which he criticised them for aiding a "shameful" donation drive.
Vous hébergez une cagnotte de la honte . Vous entretenez une fracture déjà béante en participant au soutien d’un policier mis en examen pour homicide volontaire. Clôturez !
— Olivier Faure (@faureolivier)A collection for a former boxer who had fought numerous police officers during "Yellow Vest" anti-government protests in 2019 was swiftly shut down by authorities, according to senior hard-left MP Mathilde Panot.
"Killing a young North African, in France in 2023, can earn you a lot of money," she wrote.
En 2019, une cagnotte pour le boxeur gilet jaune Christophe Dettinger était fermée en moins de 48 heures.
En 2023, la cagnotte en soutien au policier responsable du meurtre de Nahel récolte plusieurs centaines de milliers d’euros... sans aucune réaction gouvernementale.
Tuer un…
When his fund surpassed the one for the family of Nahel over the weekend, Jean Messiha, a commentator on the right-wing CNews channel and a former adviser to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, celebrated on Twitter. He stated upon starting the collection that it was for an officer who was "doing his work and is paying a heavy price".
On Monday, Eric Ciotti, the leader of the right-wing Republicans, backed the idea and suggested he would contribute. He claimed that the officer's family was "having problems."
Also read: France riots: Protesters ram car into mayor's home in Paris suburb (WATCH)
The officer involved, Florian M., aged 38, has been detained and charged with voluntary manslaughter. In a video capturing the incident, he can be seen with a fellow officer stopping a yellow Mercedes driven by Nahel, who did not possess a valid license. Florian M. draws his weapon and shoots Nahel at close range as the car drives away.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne stated that the officer's actions were not in line with police rules of engagement. Florian M. also faces charges of making false statements, as he initially claimed to have opened fire when Nahel drove towards him. Another teenager present in the car stated that the officers had struck Nahel with the butts of their guns before firing. A voice can be heard in the video threatening Nahel with a bullet to the head. The incident has sparked intense debate and demands for justice in France.