The teenager nicknamed "Hamza La Douane," who became notorious on social media this summer after a series of incidents around the Saint-Martin canal, has been arrested again in Paris. This time, the incident occurred on Wednesday evening, August 19, at a McDonald's in the Châtelet-Les Halles district. The altercation stemmed from a portion of fries that the 14-year-old boy reportedly deemed insufficient.
An altercation occurred around 22 p.m. in Châtelet-Les Halles
The incident occurred around 22 p.m. in the center of the capital. Hamza, 14, was in the restaurant with a group of about fifteen teenagers aged 11 to 16. The boy reportedly complained to the staff that he hadn't received "enough fries" in his meal. The argument quickly escalated. The teenager allegedly hurled insults at a female employee, ultimately leading to police intervention. Hamza, nicknamed "La Douane" (Customs), was arrested and taken to a police station in central Paris. His father later came to pick him up.
A teenager who became famous at the Saint-Martin canal
This latest arrest comes after several weeks during which Hamza became one of the most talked-about figures on the Canal Saint-Martin. Videos widely shared on social media showed him engaging in numerous provocative and disruptive behaviors around the Parisian canal. The young man gained notoriety by demanding a €2 "toll" from passersby, earning him the nickname "Customs Officer." He also insulted those who refused to pay and was filmed several times spraying people with a water pistol.
Other videos showed him bothering people sitting by the canal, chasing cyclists, or even taking a chair belonging to an establishment to ride around with on his scooter.
Already known to the police
The teenager was already known to police before his videos went viral. He has a criminal record for about ten offenses since June 2025, including selling fireworks on social media. On June 17, another video circulated showing him taking a bottle from a grocery store before leaving. At the end of June, an attempted arrest at the Canal Saint-Martin was also widely shared. As police officers tried to apprehend him, the teenager jumped into the canal and swam across the basin to escape.
Incidents that went viral throughout the summer
The proliferation of these videos gradually transformed the teenager into a viral sensation. His provocations towards passersby, shopkeepers, and sometimes the police generated millions of views and numerous reactions on social media. Hamza himself downplayed his behavior when questioned about his activities at the Canal Saint-Martin. He explained that he was simply having fun splashing people and claimed that his father let him do it because he felt he wasn't doing anything "stupid." Less than two months after his massive appearance on social media, the teenager is making headlines again. But this time, far from the Canal Saint-Martin: a simple dispute over the amount of fries served in his meal deal was enough to provoke another altercation and another arrest in the heart of Paris.
