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Almost a week of riots followed the fatal police shooting of a teenager with North African roots on June 27, once again exposing fractures along racial lines and between residents of the city’s suburbs (banlieues) and those who police them.
The race of the police officer who fatally shot a French teenager during a traffic stop last week has not been made public, and there’s no reason why it would be: officially, race does not exist in France.
French authorities are prohibited by law from collecting statistics on race or religion, part of France’s deep commitment to secularism (laïcité), which holds that all French are equally French and discourages adherence to any subgroups whose cultural identities might eclipse one’s Frenchness. Such “communitarianisme” is frowned upon and any “ostentatious” displays of religious affiliation – like the Muslim veil – are outlawed in public buildings, including government offices and schools.
But in reality, some French are more French than others.
The death of French-born Nahel M., a 17-year-old boy with Moroccan-Algerian roots, has again exposed the deep resentments about systemic racism that lie just under the surface of the country’s ideal of colourblind equality.
Police initially reported that the officer shot Nahel because the teenager was driving his car straight at them. But this version of events was contradicted by a video that quickly went viral on social media and was later authenticated by AFP.
With his death captured on video, what could be seen as France’s “George Floyd moment” has produced a very French national discussion that leaves out what many would consider an essential and incontestable point: race.
One cannot address race – much less racism – if French policies pointedly refuse to acknowledge its existence.
Read moreTeen’s killing raises a French policing issue that dare not be named
Paris Police Chief…
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