French riots spread in third night of unrest over police shooting

French police secure the district after the death of Nahel, a 17-year-old teenager killed by a French police officer during a traffic stop, in Nanterre, Paris suburb, France, June 28, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

NANTERRE, France (Reuters) -France saw unrest spread to major cities in a third night of riots on Thursday as President Emmanuel Macron fought to contain a mounting crisis triggered by the deadly police shooting of a teenager of Algerian and Moroccan descent during a traffic stop.

Forty thousand police officers were deployed across France - nearly four times the numbers mobilised on Wednesday - but there were few signs that government appeals to de-escalate the violence would quell the widespread anger.