A mixture of sadness and anger vibrates in Mounia Merzouk’s voice. Thank you for being there, you give me the strength to hold on », she manages to articulate, microphone in hand. In front of this bereaved mother, a few hundred people gathered this Saturday on Nelson Mandela Square in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) after a march to pay tribute to her son Nahel, 17, killed a year earlier on this esplanade after a police check.
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In a highly inflammatory context, on the eve of the first round of legislative elections, Nahel’s mother had called for a “silent march” In “calm and respect “. These first words were therefore for his son, whose memory “ will illuminate the word justice “, she hopes, but also for ” his two friends in the car that day. Let us not forget them ».
Proudly holding a banner moments earlier “Justice for Nahel and all the others”the Nanterrienne once again denounced the act “unforgivable ” of the police officer, accompanied by a colleague, having ” executed ” his son. ” I still blame these two police officers who killed my son », Launched Mounia Merzouk. Liberation last November The one who shot Nahel reinforced his sentence: ” It’s very hard to tell myself that he’s out there and that I could run into him at any time. Every morning, he can get up and kiss his child. I look at my son’s room which is empty. When I go home, I’m alone. »
“We are afraid of what will happen on July 8”
After a moment of prayer under a light rain, several young people from Nanterre also paid tribute to their friend. One of the most popular boys in the neighborhoodgreeted one of them. The proof is that there are guys from all the cities of Nanterre today. » Some had even come from further afield, like Messaouda, a 38-year-old educator. With two friends from Lyon, they made the return trip during the day to pay tribute to Nahel, who “ could have been [notre] little brother ».
In the crowd, many demonstrators moved to denounce police violence. “ The police are supposed to protect us and respect us. Today, the police play cowboys in the neighborhoods. They address young people informally, they even insult their mothers. », moans Faty Koumba, president of the Libertés, human rights and non-violence association. She flies a Palestinian flag above her head. Flag she carries for 26 years “in demonstration, symbol for her” of a better world ».
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