people, notjust in paris, but across the country, is it? deep issues with the forces there. yes, and is more than just a perception. the united nations said on friday that the french police needed to address deep rooted issues of discrimination and racism. in response to what the united nations said, we heard from the french government that there was no foundation in what had been said by the un. we have talked to people from nanterre, the suburb of paris where nahel was from and where he was killed, who say that they believe people from minority communities are racially profiled and that what happened to nahel was the tip of the iceberg and there are so many cases nobody knows about all talks about, not least because they were not recorded on camera like nahel s death was. on the other hand in the suburb where we are now where the mayor s home was attacked we have spoken to people who don t believe that there is racism in the forces. they say of course there is racism in french societ
violence here in france. now, actually, the violence had sort of abated from the previous few nights. there were fewer arrests saturday into sunday. 0fficials there were fewer arrests saturday into sunday. officials say they arrested 700 people. compare that with the night before when 1300 arrests were made. but it was still arrests were made. but it was still a very intense night of violence across the country, as my colleague sofia bettiza reports. another night of unrest in france. tens of thousands of police were out in force, ready for a fifth night of riots. the worst of the violence was in marseille. police fought street battles with young people. the riots began after a police officer shot dead a 17 year old of algerian descent called nahel. translation: the person who was killed was a child| and that is why more minors are coming into the movement
was in marseille. police fought street battles with young people. the riots began after a police officer shot dead a 17 year old of algerian descent called nahel. translation: the person who was killed was a child| and that is why more minors are coming into the movement because what is going on is unfair. imagine if that had happened to my brother, she says. i mean, we are not safe here. we should be safe with the police but we are scared of them. this is paris, the iconic champs elysees, normally packed with tourists, lined with security forces. this is a health centre. 35 doctors and nurses work here.
because what is going on is unfair. imagine if that had happened to my brother, she says. i mean, we are not safe here. we should be safe with the police but we are scared of them . this is paris the iconic champs elysees normally packed with tourists, lined with security forces. this is a health centre. 35 doctors and nurses work here. rioters broke in in the middle of the night and set the building on fire. the people here told us they do not sympathise with the rioters because they feel that they are destroying their own communities and that this is not the right way to demand justice for nahel. but this is notjust about nahel. his death has reignited debate about racism in the french police. what many people here want is at least an acknowledgement that there is a problem of racial profiling and excessive use of force
rioters broke in in the middle of the night and set the building on fire. and people here told us they do not sympathise with the rioters because they feel that they are destroying their own communities, and that this is not the right way to demand justice for nahel. but this is notjust about nahel. his death has reignited debate about racism in the french police. what many people who want is at least an acknowledgement that there is a problem of racial profiling and excessive use of force by the french police. sofia bettiza, bbc news, lille. rajini, i want to pick up on something that sofia said there, that the view of some people of racism within the french police forces, we heard previously on bbc news previously on bbc news from the head of one of the leading french unions who said there wasn t an issue of racism within his ranks and within the force s but that s not the perception for many