The night descended into violence in Garges-lès-Gonesse, just hours after a teenager claimed he was beaten by police officers. Around thirty individuals confronted the police with fireworks, in an explosive atmosphere that culminated in the spectacular burning of a Noctilien bus carrying around thirty passengers. The first clashes erupted around 1:30 a.m. on Avenue Frédéric Joliot-Curie, where a group of individuals erected an improvised barricade. The police, targeted by mortar fire, responded with their self-defense ball launchers. Three people were arrested in the chaos. But the tension didn't end there. Around 3:20 a.m., a far more disturbing scene unfolded on Avenue du Général-de-Gaulle. A night bus on the N43 line was forced to stop, blocked by burning garbage cans. The attackers forced the driver and passengers to get off before setting the vehicle ablaze. The bus burned to the ground.
A 17-year-old boy in the heart of anger
This outbreak of violence comes in the wake of an event that sparked a furore. On Monday evening, around 22:30 p.m., a 17-year-old boy claimed to have been beaten by four police officers in a neighborhood of the city. The incident, reported by political leaders, immediately sparked outrage. The mayor of Garges-lès-Gonesse, Benoît Jimenez, expressed his support for the alleged victim and his family while welcoming the opening of a judicial and administrative investigation. According to him, the municipality will provide investigators with all the necessary tools to advance the investigation. Member of Parliament Carlos Martens Bilongo has also taken up the case. After meeting with the teenager and his family, he stated that he believed his version of events, citing a brutal attack for no apparent reason. The young man, a first-year student at Romain Rolland High School, filed a complaint with his parents. At this stage, four police officers are believed to be involved in this case, which is already the subject of a dual investigation. In a city still scarred by previous episodes of police violence, the case takes on a particular resonance. And last night left a burning imprint on the streets of Garges-lès-Gonesse.
