Algeria politically manipulated teenager’s killing by French policemen
The Algerian foreign ministry has interfered in France’s domestic affairs condemning the killing by French police of a teenager of Algerian origins and urging Paris to ensure safety of what it called Algerian nationals in their host country.
The killing of Nahel, 17, shot dead by a policeman, triggered a wave of solidarity and a spate of riots for about four days in France.
Rioters looted stores, torched cars, and set many schools and public administration buildings on fire including a major library in Marseille, in the worst domestic unrest faced by Macron since he took presidency.
Many of the looters chanted Algeria’s football team slogan “one, two three viva Algerie” while some of them hoisted the Algerian flag or Algerian jerseys.
Algerian pro-regime influencers on twitter such as journalist and anchor Hafsi Ahmed proudly shared videos instigating Algerian migrants to attack French law enforcement and loot shops.
“France will pay the price domestically for looting the resources of Africa,” he said in a tweet accompanied with a video showing teenagers looting a Zara shop.
Hafsi was only mirroring the stands of his regime which rushed to use politically the tragic death of a teenager, issuing a statement mingling in Paris’ internal affairs.
Jordan Bradella Head of Rassemblement National, French main right-wing opposition, said if Algeria is so worried about what it calls its citizens in France it should repatriate them starting with those who break the law.
Abdou Semmar, an influential Algerian journalist in exile, deplored the amateurism of the Algerian foreign ministry which used the death of Nahel to take revenge from Macron who rejected Tebboune’s triumphal visit to France which he wished.
He also said that Algeria sends a sinister message that it can mess with France’s stability using the hordes of juveniles.
Myopic to the police brutality at home, Algeria’s major FLN party denounced the killing of Nahel by French police asking for an investigation! The same party whose leaders ruled the country for decades turned a blind eye to the oppression and police violence against peaceful Hirak activists or Kabyle protesters.
