Amidst ongoing protests across France sparked by the police shooting of a 17-year-old, a fundraising campaign for the officer involved has surpassed $1 million. The GoFundMe, organized by a former advisor to far-right politician Marine Le Pen, describes the officer as someone "who has done his job and is now paying a high price." This has drawn criticism, with one French lawyer calling it "insulting" to the victim's family and contributing to societal division.

The victim's family has also launched a fundraising effort, though it has accumulated significantly less, reaching around $220,000. The officer, facing murder charges and held without bail, shot the teenager, Nahel Merzouk, during a traffic stop. This incident has ignited widespread unrest, marked by vehicle fires, property damage, and numerous arrests, predominantly of young people.

The French Ministry of Interior reports thousands of vehicle fires and damaged buildings, along with over 3,300 arrests. Law enforcement has also faced hundreds of attacks, resulting in numerous injuries among personnel. President Macron has appealed to parents to take responsibility for their children's involvement in the riots. Amidst the turmoil, Merzouk's grandmother has publicly pleaded for calm, urging an end to the destruction.

The ongoing unrest has brought into sharp focus the tensions between law enforcement and communities, particularly younger generations, in disadvantaged areas across France.