France has been rocked by Riots in recent days following the fatal police shooting of a teenager near Paris – with a third night of protests ending in at least 667 arrests.
The riots have seen buildings and cars set alight, bus stops utterly destroyed, shops looted and police officers attacked with fireworks.
For the latest news on the Paris riots and shooting, follow Metro.co.uk’s live blog here
200 police officers have been hurt while armoured police vehicles rammed through charred remains of cars that had been flipped and set alight in Nanterre.
Demonstrations first broke out on Tuesday, June 27 after a 17-year-old boy named only as Nahel M was shot dead during a traffic stop in the suburb of Nanterre.
His devastated mother Mounia has said: ‘I lost a 17-year-old, I was alone with him and they took my baby away from me. He was still a child, he needed his mother.’
The police officer who killed the boy was detained and has now been charged with voluntary homicide.
As French president Emmanuel Macron prepares to hold another emergency meeting in a bid to quell the growing unrest, where exactly are the riots occurring – and how safe is it in Paris right now?
Where are the riots in Paris and further afield in France?
The riots began on Tuesday night in Nanterre, a town in the western suburb of Paris – located some 6.8 miles away from the centre.
Demonstrations continued on the night of Wednesday, June 28, with a town hall in nearby L’ile Saint Denis – another suburb around 5.8 miles from the centre of Paris, which will serve as the Olympic village at the 2024 games – being damaged by fire.
Since then, rioting and unrest has spread to other parts of France.
Incidents have been reported in the centre of Paris itself, with the Rue de Rivoli (one of the main shopping streets close to the Champs Elysees and the Louvre) being ransacked – and a Nike store at Westfield Forum des Halles in the centre of town being targeted by looters.
There has been widespread looting in cities as far as Marseille and Nantes, and violence has broken out in Lille in the north.
A supermarket was set on fire in Roubaix, a city in the Lille metropolitan area near the Belgian border.
More: Trending
Tourist who carved names into Colosseum wall unmasked
3D animations show what Titan sub 'implosion' might have looked like
Looting and violence sweep Paris as 875 arrested in protests over police shooting – live
Local media has also reported that the unrest has spread to Brussels, which is the capital of neighbouring Belgium.
Smaller groups in Brussels appear to have joined French protesters in demonstrating against the police shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M.
Fires were lit in the Belgium capital, according Francophone broadcaster RTBF, and 15 people were arrested.
Is it safe to go to Paris?
Amid the unrest, many will be wondering if it is currently safe to travel to or visit Paris.
The current Foreign Office travel advice says: ‘Since June 27, protests have taken place in Paris and other locations across France. Some have turned violent.
‘The protests may lead to disruptions to road travel or targeting of parked cars in areas where protests take place.
‘You should monitor the media, avoid protests, check the latest advice with operators when travelling and follow the advice of the authorities.’
Initially, most of the city – including the centre – was unaffected by the riots.
But with the unrest having spread to other parts of the city and other parts of France overnight, the situation is looking less clear.
If you do have a trip to Paris or another part of France planned in the very near future, it would be wise to check the up-to-date Foreign Office advice before travelling.
The current situation is fast moving and measures to stop the unrest – such as a state of emergency, curfews, stopping public transport services earlier than usual or the banning of public events – could be implemented at any time.
Should you still decide to travel, you should make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance in place before you go.
MORE : Everything we know about the police shooting in Paris
MORE : Outrage as French President Emmanuel Macron and wife Brigitte pictured with Elton John and David Furnish amid France riots
MORE : Seven in critical condition after Paris street rocked by explosion
Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Share your views in the comments below
The post Is it safe to go to Paris right now? The riots in France explained first appeared on Firenewsfeed!.
