Protesters clashed with riot police in Nanterre, near Paris, on Friday. Donations in support of the police officer responsible for shooting and killing a 17-year-old youth of North African descent, which ignited the protests, have surged to over $1 million. The photo captures the intense moment by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE.
July 4 (UPI) — GoFundMe, the prominent U.S.-based fundraising site, is facing pressure to remove a donation page created by a conservative public figure to assist the family of the French police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy.
The police officer has been arrested and charged with voluntary homicide following the shooting of Nahel Merzouk, whose death in a suburb of Paris caused a wave of anti-racism protests and riots that France hasn’t witnessed in decades.
The GoFundMe page established for the officer’s family is the creation of French conservative media personality Jean Messiha. It has accumulated nearly $1.63 million, while a similar fundraiser for Nahel has raised $392,200, as reported by Radio France International.
The officer’s donation page states, “Support for the family of the Nanterre police officer, Florian M, who acted in accordance with his duty and is now paying a heavy price. Offer massive support to him and demonstrate solidarity with our law enforcement.”
Protests supporting the teenager, who was shot by the police, have spread across France, prompting broader accusations of police brutality and racial discrimination. The unrest has resulted in numerous arrests, with rioters being held responsible for looting, arson, and attacks on police stations and buildings.
Messiha’s fundraising efforts for the officer’s family have sparked outrage among a variety of French politicians and advocates for minority rights.
“You are hosting a disgraceful GoFundMe page,” tweeted Socialist Party secretary Olivier Faure. “By supporting a police officer under investigation for culpable homicide, you are further fueling the growing divide. Shut it down!”
“Jean Messiha is fanning the flames,” added Eric Bothorel, a lawmaker from Renaissance, President Emmanuel Macron’s political party. “This is incitement to rioting. It’s both indecent and scandalous to collect hundreds of thousands of euros for the police officer indicted in the homicide of young Nahel.”
GoFundMe, however, maintains that there are no grounds to take down the page.
“Currently, this fundraiser complies with our terms as it clearly states that the funds are intended to support the family in question,” stated a GoFundMe spokesperson in a statement provided to Euronews. “The family has been designated as the beneficiary, and the funds will be transferred directly to them.”
