PARIS — The “peak” of rioting that has taken place across France in the past week has passed, President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday.
“I’ll still be very cautious over the coming days and weeks, but the peak we experienced in the first nights [of the riots] is over, and now it’s the lasting, republican order we all want … and that’s the absolute priority,” he told French mayors, according to BFMTV.
The French president gathered at the Elysée Palace with some 250 mayors of cities targeted during the riots.
The killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by a police officer last week has thrown France into chaos, sparking violent demonstrations across the country and reigniting long-simmering tensions between the youth and the police, who have been accused of brutality and racial discrimination.
In the past week, rioters have looted stores, targeted many symbols of the French Republic such as schools, police stations, libraries and other public buildings, and, in one case, attacked a mayor’s home and his family.
The rioting has shown signs of cooling down. About 72 people were arrested overnight on Monday, a sharp decrease compared with the weekend.
On Monday evening, Macron made a surprise visit to police buildings in Paris to show support for officers. According to Le Parisien, the French president told them that July 13 and 14 — the eve and day of France’s national holiday — would be a test.
“I don’t think it’s behind us. We’ll see what happens on July 13 and 14, and in the months to come,” he reportedly said, asking police officers to remain on high alert.
On Tuesday, Macron announced “emergency legislation” to speed up the reconstruction of public infrastructure damaged in the riots following the death of Nahel M.