Wednesday night in the French city of Montpelier, a 14-year-old Moroccan boy was killed by a car that trying to escape a mob of Morrocan youths venting their anger after the France-Morooco match in the World Cup. It appears that the suspected driver of the car, who is still being sought by police, was a member of the local Gypsy community (Travelers). That has led to extreme tension between the North-African and Gypsy communities of Montpelier.
The below article from today's Le Figaro is translated by Fousesquawk.
Death of an adolescent after France-Morocco (match). Montpelier shaken by inter-community violence
By Guillaume Poingt
Posted 5 hours ago, updated 1 hour ago
Violence between the Maghreb community and that of the Travelers (Gypsies) broke out in the Mosson quarter after the death of Aymen (14) crushed by a driver identified by authorities.
Community tensions broke out in Montpelier after the death of a 14-year-old adolescent, crushed by a car after the France-Morocco football match on Wednesday, 14 December. That evening, in the Mosson quarter, a group of about 20 youths surrounded a white Citroen C4 and tried to grab a French flag in the vehicle. The driver then took off hastily before making a half-turn and mortally crushing a 14-year-old minor of Maghrebian (N. African) origin. The driver then fled.
"The car was not stolen, so the driver was quickly identified," a police source informs us. That was confirmed Friday evening by the prefect of L'Herault. This individual, on the run and wanted by the police, is reportedly from the community of Travelers (Gypsies). The ethnic origin of the victim and that-alleged- of the suspect triggered tensions. In the night of Thursday-Friday, 4 sections of the CRS (police) were deployed in the Mosson quarter, northwest of Montpelier, "to prevent any confrontations between the Gypsy community and the Maghrebian community," stated a well-informed source to Le Figaro.
According to our information, the apartment of the passenger of the vehicle implicated in the fatal accident was broken into and ransacked during the night of Thursday to Friday. This man, beaten up just after the incident, has now been hospitalized. Proof of the tension that reigns in the Mosson quarter, a video disseminated Thursday, 15 December on social media shows a group of some 20 individuals running down the street shouting, "Allahu Akhbar," and then, "We're going to F--- your mothers, Gypsies".
Driver actively sought
A first (act of revenge) reportedly took place Thursday morning. A man belonging to the Gypsy community was found with his throat cut, but alive, a police source informs us. This individual was reportedly transported to CHU of Montpelier (University Hospital) accompanied by the Brigade of Investigation and Intervention, (NDLR), the source continued. The prefect of Herault categorically denies this information to Le Figaro and mentions a person from the Gypsy community (who) was "attacked".
Investigators are still actively looking for the driver. "The investigation is progressing rapidly under the direction of the prosecutor," the prefect of Herault stated Thursday in a press release. (When) contacted, the Montpelier Prosecutor's Office did not want to make any additional statement, "in this active phase of the investigation."
"The (death) of Aymen plunges us into a terrible ordeal," the family of the adolescent reacted in a press release issued by the city hall of Montpelier. "We call for calm and express our confidence in the institutions of the Republic, police,(and) justice," it added, asking the media to respect their grief and privacy.
*Update (12-27-22). On this date, the suspected driver was arrested near Perpignan. He is being held in custody pending the legal process.
No comments:
Post a Comment