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Over 650 people detained in France on third night of unrest — interior minister

According to Gerald Darmanin, police officers, gendarmes and firefighters faced an extremely high level of violence last night, "which is rare for France"

PARIS, June 30. /TASS/. Over 650 people were detained in France last night during unrest sparked by the police shooting of a 17-year-old driver on June 27, French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Friday.

"Police officers and gendarmes carried out 667 detentions, following my orders to firmly curb riots," he wrote on Twitter.

According to the interior minister, police officers, gendarmes and firefighters faced an extremely high level of violence last night, "which is rare for France."

Unrest broke out in the country after police shot dead a 17-year-old driver in the Paris suburb of Nanterre who had failed to comply with an order to stop his car. The riots also spread to many other communities and big cities such as Dijon, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg and Toulouse. On the night of June 29, several dozen police cars were burned, administrative and police buildings suffered damage. The Interior Ministry sent 40,000 law enforcement officers to quell riots on the night of June 30. In some cities, special forces troops are patrolling the streets, using armored vehicles and helicopters.

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