Hundreds join annual protest march in memory of Adama Traore despite ban

Live from Paris on Saturday, July 8, as thousands of demonstrators take part in a march in memory of Adama Traore and against alleged police violence and discrimination.

The death of the 24-year-old Black man in police custody in 2016 led to a series of riots and protests.

French authorities have banned the annual march due to possible 'serious disturbances to the public order' caused by 'disturbing elements', following the violence of the past few weeks.

A wave of demonstrations and riots was sparked by the shooting of a 17-year-old driver of Algerian descent, during a police traffic stop in Nanterre on June 27.

45,000 officers and armoured vehicles were deployed nationwide in an attempt to quell the unrest. According to media reports, over 3,600 protesters were detained, with over 23,000 fires lit, 12,000 cars burned and more than 2,000 incidents of damage on public buildings registered.

Organisers of the rally have called for reforms to policing and the use of weapons. Over 90 trade unions, committees, associations and political parties have also demanded changes to the treatment of migrants and to the constitution.

Traore’s death itself divided medical experts, with some blaming police restraint and other attributing it to an underlying health condition. A police investigation exonerated the officers involved.

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