The fatal shooting of a 17-year-old boy by a police officer in Nanterre, France earlier this week has sparked a series of nationwide riots and violence, resulting in the early closing of some movie theaters, curfews in certain cities and a plea for calm. from the national football team, among the most widespread issues.

The murder of the teenager, who is referred to only as Nahel M., happened on Tuesday morning. He was fatally shot in the chest, point blank, behind the wheel of a Mercedes to get away during a police traffic stop. The officer who fired the gun has been arrested while being investigated for manslaughter.

Nahel M was of Algerian and Moroccan descent, and the anger over the shooting is rooted in decades-long complaints about police violence and lingering feelings of neglect and racial discrimination in France’s poorest urban suburbs. New York Times has written

The situation is also eerily reminiscent of Romain Gavras’ compelling 2022 Athens which follows the death of a boy following a suspected police shootout that sees tensions rise nationally.

This week, in the early hours of Thursday morning, the UGC Ciné Cité in Cergy outside Paris was gutted by fire, although the damage was contained. Parent company UGC tweeted: “We condemn the incidents that happened last night… It is an emblematic place of culture and living together. Thanks to the mobilization of all staff, the cinema will reopen this Thursday evening.”

Today, however, the cinema’s website has a notice saying it will “exceptionally” not offer screenings after 6pm.

Cinemas in Lyon have followed suit with UGC’s Part-Dieu and Confluence venues by saying they will not hold any screenings after 5pm local today. The Carré de Soie, Vaise and Bellecour locations in Lyon’s Pathé district all carry a warning that reads: “Given the current circumstances, some of our shows may be cancelled. We invite you to verify the schedules.”

Although France’s Interior Ministry described overnight violence on Friday as “less intense” than the previous night, more than 1,300 people were arrested. The unrest continues to grip major cities such as Marseille and Lyon. There were burning of cars, looting and other damage.

Kylian Mbappé, the newly appointed captain of France’s national soccer team, posted a plea on social media to end the violence. Saying the team was “marked and shocked by the brutal death of young Nahel”, Les Bleus also said, “In this context of extreme tension, we cannot remain silent and our civic conscience encourages us to call for security , awareness and accountability”. Added Mbappé, there are “other peaceful and constructive ways to express yourself”.