French Minister: 鈥淣o systemic racism in France鈥�
In wake of riots, French Minister says 鈥渧ast majority of the population is not鈥� racist
France鈥檚 Europe Minister Laurence Boone said that claims that France is institutionally racist are untrue.
Violent riots broke out across France after the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk after a traffic stop. A police officer has been charged with voluntary homicide following the teenager鈥檚 death.
According to the French authorities, the riots saw around 1,000 shops and nearly 400 bank branches vandalised and more than 1,100 buildings set on fire.
In June, the UN rights office (ONCHR) said that France had 鈥渢o seriously address the deep issues of racism and racial discrimination in law enforcement." Disproportionate levels of unemployment, poverty and social disadvantage have plagued the suburbs of French towns and cities鈥� know as banlieues 鈥� where immigrants and their French descendants make up a large part of the population.
Speaking to Zeinab Badawi on 大象传媒 HARDtalk, Laurence Boone said 鈥渢his has been a long term problem鈥�.
鈥淚t is a deeply entrenched problem that we are solving little by little鈥�.
Asked whether racism played a part in the disaffection of youths living in the banlieues, Minister Boone said 鈥渢here is no systemic racism in France. I think we need to be very clear about this 鈥� that is not true.鈥�
鈥淵ou will find some people sometimes being racist but the vast majority of the population is not. 鈥�
鈥淲e are a mixed diverse society living together side by side.鈥�
