PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd July, 2023) Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said on Sunday that there was no racism in the French police and that he was "shocked" by UN statements that use the term.
On Friday, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the French government to "seriously address the deep issues of racism and discrimination in law enforcement" after a teenager was shot and killed by police near Paris. The French Foreign Ministry dismissed the UN's accusation as unfounded.
"I am shocked at the use of the term. I am shocked. There is no racism in the police. We fight criminals who endanger other people's lives and we will continue to do so," Nunez told the BFMTV broadcaster when asked of his opinion about the UN statements that speak of racism in the French police.
At the same time, Nunez admitted that there have been separate cases of racism, but they have always been punished and prosecuted.
"We will continue to do our job, we will continue to pursue delinquent vehicles, urban 'rodeos' that may infringe on the lives of others, and we will continue to vet these people, regardless of their background, wherever they come from," Nunez added.
Nahel M. was shot dead in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning after he refused to comply with police orders during a traffic stop. The officer who pulled the trigger on the 17-year-old has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and is in custody. The fatal police shooting sparked unrest across the country.
