Last week, a wave of protests swept through Paris and other major French cities. The confrontation between protesters and police led to curfews in some cities and disruptions in transportation. At the same time, summer is the peak tourist season in France. Most travelers visit the country during the warmer months. The two-week Tour de France, the world's most popular sporting event, is about to start, with fans from many countries around the world.
The tensions scared tourists who were planning to spend their summer vacation in France. What is the reason for the protests?
How do they affect tourism in France? Should you cancel your trip to France? Let's find out further. Find out which countries are the most dangerous in Europe here. Where to stay in Paris : the best neighborhoods and prices. The reason for the mass protests in France was the death of a teenager of Algerian descent named Nahel Merzouk. He was shot dead by the police, which is confirmed by the fact that this incident was filmed on video.
The incident caused a wave of anger over racial inequality in France and accusations of police discrimination. The confrontation between police and protesters began on the night of June 27 in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, where Merzouk was shot, and since then has spread to other cities in France. Police reported that at least people, many of them minors, were detained during the riots.
Currently, French officials say that only people have been arrested and the situation has become much calmer: on Sunday evening, the protests began to gradually subside, and arrests also decreased. The protests began in Nantes, a suburb of northwestern Paris. Trappes, Clery, Guiancourt and Vignes-sur-Seine were also affected. All of these settlements are located outside the Periphery ring road, which surrounds the central areas of Paris, where the main attractions are located.
