Paris Tensions Escalate as Protests Erupt Over Immigrant Worker’s Death in Police Custody

PARIS – Mass demonstrations erupted in the French capital on Sunday as thousands took to the streets to protest the death of El Hacen Diarra, a 35-year-old Mauritanian immigrant worker, while in police custody. The event has sharply escalated domestic and international scrutiny over the use of force and allegations of systemic racism within French law enforcement.The catalyst for the outrage was graphic video footage, reportedly filmed by neighbours, showing officers involved in Diarra’s forceful apprehension on the night of January 14 near the shelter where he resided in the northeast of Paris. The footage appears to depict one officer striking a man on the ground while another observes, fueling immediate demands for judicial action.Protesters, joined by members of Diarra’s family, marched under banners demanding “Justice” and chanting slogans decrying “a police force that kills us.” The family has formally filed a legal complaint, accusing security forces of “intentional violence that led to a death,” according to their legal counsel.The French government maintains a measured approach amid the rising pressure. Paris police have initiated an internal review of the incident. However, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has publicly resisted calls to suspend the officers involved pending the investigation’s outcome. Nunez acknowledged that the officer seen throwing punches in the video “will have to explain himself,” but stressed that the precise cause of death remains undetermined at this preliminary stage.Conflicting accounts surround Diarra’s apprehension. While the family describes Diarra as quiet and kind, police reports suggest officers approached him for allegedly preparing cannabis and subsequently arrested him after he resisted a body search. He was booked for resisting arrest and alleged possession of narcotics and forged documents. Authorities claim that while detained at the station, Diarra lost consciousness, and resuscitation efforts by paramedics proved unsuccessful.This case adds to a growing list of controversial deaths involving French security forces, echoing the nationwide unrest sparked by the killing of 17-year-old Nahel M. last year during a traffic stop. Activists frequently accuse the French system of affording police excessive impunity, noting that few cases of alleged brutality result in criminal conviction, as most are handled through internal administrative processes.Diankou Sissoko, Diarra’s cousin, voiced profound skepticism regarding the prospects for redress: “I don't believe at all that we will see justice, because even before El Hacen died there were other deaths and there has never been justice.” The ongoing controversy places renewed focus on institutional reform and the precarious position of immigrant communities within the French Republic.Source: Based on reporting from France 24.