France sees fifth night of riots over police killing of teenager

Overall violence, however, appeared to lessen from previous nights following 'resolute action' by security forces

Young rioters clashed with police into early on Sunday and targeted a mayor's home with a burning car, injuring members of his family, as France saw a fifth night of unrest after the police killing of a teenager. Overall violence, however, appeared to lessen from previous nights.

Police made 719 arrests nationwide by early on Sunday following a mass security deployment aimed at quelling France's worst social upheaval in years. The crisis posed a new challenge to President Emmanuel Macron's leadership and exposed deep-seated discontent in low-income neighbourhoods over discrimination and lack of opportunity. The 17-year-old whose death on Tuesday spawned the anger was laid to rest Saturday in a Muslim ceremony in Nanterre, a Paris suburb where emotions over his loss remain raw. He has been identified publicly only by his first name, Nahel.

As night fell Saturday, a small crowd gathered on the Champs-Elysees to protest his death and police violence but met hundreds of officers with batons and shields guarding the avenue and its boutiques. In a less chic Paris neighbourhood, protesters set off firecrackers and lit barricades on fire as police shot back with tear gas and stun grenades.

A burning car hit the home of the mayor of the Paris suburb ofl'Hay-lesRoses. Several schools, police stations, town halls and stores have been targeted by fires or vandalism in recent days but such a personal attack on a mayor's home is unusual.