Last night, while my wife and I were fully engrossed in computing my students’ final grades, I happened to catch a segment on the evening news about the ongoing violent riots in Paris and its surrounding cities, including Marseille, with reports suggesting that the demonstrations have even spread to Brussels, the capital of Belgium. I couldn’t help but wonder why the media here took so long to report on it, considering I’ve been closely following the developments in the French capital since June 30 or July 1. It was not only the tardiness of the report that bothered me, but also the incomplete and confusing nature of the narration. The facts were presented in a disjointed manner, painting a biased picture that portrayed the rioters as violent and mad anarchists. This kind of reporting does a disservice to the truth and prevents people from forming their own opinions and judgments on the matter.
What the media failed to mention is the brutal killing of a 17-year-old North African teenager named Nahel by the French police on June 27. This incident, done in cold blood at a routine traffic stop, ignited the protests, rallies, and widespread condemnation. It’s disheartening to see such an essential and crucial fact omitted or hidden from the public. Even the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern and called for the French government to address the deep-rooted issues of racism and discrimination within law enforcement.
While I agree with former British Prime Minister’s condemnation of the rioters and looters as lacking responsibility, proper parenting, upbringing, ethics, and morals, we must also question the ethics and morals of the government in the way it governs. The French government should acknowledge that its systemic racism, discrimination, and unprofessionalism within the police force have also contributed to the unrest. Furthermore, we must examine why the prime movers of this movement are incredibly young, some as young as 13. Why are our youth so angry? The riots in Paris in 2023 and London in 2011 are clear indictments against social inequalities, discrimination, racism, and the lack of social justice. The same can be said for the horrific murder of George Floyd in the United States, which sparked the “Black Lives Matter” movement. If governments in so-called Western democracies do not address the grievances and complaints of their citizens, especially those from marginalized communities, then we can expect discontent, anger, and resistance to persist, leading to occasional bursts of anarchy. The core of this violence and class divisions lies in the lack of economic opportunities, social justice, and human dignity.
Jose Mario D. De Vega, Assistant Professor at the National University of the Philippines.
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