NANTERRE, France — A swarm of young men strolled up the hill from the mosque into the cemetery’s quiet. Hundreds of men had gathered to bid goodbye to the boy whose death at the hands of a police officer had sparked outrage across France.
It was a bright Saturday afternoon, far removed from the nights of street violence that had left windows broken and automobiles burnt. Many of the guys were Arab or Black and had come to pay their respects to a youngster who could have been them.
France and the rest of the world only know Nahel, 17, by his first name and a few things about his life, such as his family’s Algerian heritage. On Saturday, though, many in the audience knew or identified with him.
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After four days of mayhem, there was almost complete silence. Someone donned a “Justice for Nahel” shirt here and there. The cops were nowhere to be seen when the mob pushed past the cemetery gate. Despite the day’s importance, only a few people were seen filming using cell phones. The teen’s murder was caught on film, vital in the officer’s arrest. However, such witnesses were not invited to his funeral, and several journalists were chased out.
“Men first,” a suit-and-tie official told the scores of women waiting to enter the cemetery. But Nahel’s mother, clothed in white, entered to cheers and proceeded to the grave.
The mob had gathered for hours, first at the mosque for prayers, then at the cemetery. The word “martyr” could be heard from time to time. The standard French welcome was solemn. “Ca ne va pas, franchement,” one man said to another. (“To be honest, things aren’t going well.”)
Hundreds of men had gathered to bid goodbye to the boy whose death at the hands of a police officer had sparked outrage across France.
This was not the first time police had slain an Arab or Black young guy.
The white casket was lifted over the crowd and brought toward the grave within the cemetery gate. The men followed, some with small children in their arms.
Some wiped their eyes as they walked away. Others appeared blank and fractured. Some exchanged friendly welcomes with acquaintances. A few people were carrying folded prayer rugs. Some appeared dissatisfied, marching alone back into the streets.
They sought serenity to mourn after days of rage and charges of protracted marginalization in France.
Other parts of Paris enjoyed a summer weekend as the funeral attendees dispersed, with tour groups and café-goers just a few miles away. However, many inhabitants in the city and elsewhere were still in misery.
Near the cemetery, a Paris driver who identifies as Arab and offered only his first name, Sid Ali, for fear of punishment by police or authorities, said he doesn’t think Nahel’s death and the ensuing violence will change anything.
“Has Paris burned a little?” he inquired. Let us wait and see “if the police will change their ways as the days pass.”
Nightfall was still some hours away.
SOURCE – (AP)
