French teenagers describe arrests and police custody amid nationwide protests
Around 7,000 minors have been detained since the student protests began in late September, and three high-schoolers recount their experiences with police and the justice system.
Since the high-school student movement erupted at the end of September, French authorities have taken roughly 7,000 minors into custody out of an estimated 8,000 arrests overall. Three teenagers—Leïla, Nino and Inès—shared their personal stories, describing night-time detention, sharing a cell with a 13-year-old suspected pickpocket, and being released without formal charges. Leïla was ordered to attend a citizenship course after her release, a requirement she called ironic given her right to protest.
Their mothers, including Nora, voiced both anxiety for their children’s safety and admiration for their activism, while criticizing police use of tear-gas and aggressive tactics. The accounts illustrate the growing tension between French youth protesters and law-enforcement agencies during the October 17 nationwide demonstrations.
Why it matters
The story shows how mass arrests of minors during protests affect youth activism and public trust in French law enforcement.
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