France protests: Brother of Adama Traore who died in police custody violently arrested and injured

Youssouf Traore, the brother of Adama Traore who died in police custody years ago, was detained by police in France Saturday during protests across the country to remember the death of his brother. Adama Traore, a 24-year-old Black French citizen of Malian descent, died in police custody in 2016 after being restrained and arrested by police. On Saturday, over 2,000 people gathered in central Paris for a memorial rally in spite of a court ban.

The rally turned violent and in the process, 29-year-old Youssouf Traore was arrested on charges of violence against a public official after being accused of hitting a police officer at the beginning of the rally at Place de la Republique, a source told AFP. 

During his arrest, he got injured in the eye and became sick while at the police station. Officers took him to a hospital where a medical report cited by AFP said he “suffered a fractured nose, head trauma with a black eye, and contusions to his chest, abdomen and lumbar.”

Videos on social media show Youssouf Traore’s violent arrest as he is seen being pinned down by officers while he resists. He is later seen being handcuffed and taken away by the officers. Activists have condemned the arrest and are planning to protest again in Paris on July 15 against police brutality.

There is already uneasy calm in France following the police killing of Nahel M., a 17-year-old with Algerian background during a traffic stop on June 27 in Paris. Over 3,000 people have since been arrested following protests since Nahel’s death. The prosecutor’s office in Paris has meanwhile launched an investigation into Youssouf Traore’s case. Youssouf Traore has denied attacking the police officer and his lawyer Yassine Bouzrou has filed a complaint for deliberate violence, AFP reported.

Youssouf Traore’s sister Assa Traore said his brother’s forceful arrest brought back memories of how her other brother Adama Traore also died. “My brother (Adama Traore) died in exactly the same way,” she said.

A court had banned the rally commemorating the death of Adama Traore, saying that it could heighten the tension in the country. Activists have over the years condemned police brutality and racial profiling in France. A 2017 Ombudsman report said Blacks and Arabs are 20 times more likely to be racially profiled by the police.