Thousands protest in Paris over death of black Frenchman

Over 19,000 people on Tuesday evening led a protest in Paris over the death of a black Frenchman, Adama Traore, in police custody.

The protesters started gathering in the late afternoon in front of the Paris Court near the ring road in the north of the capital, holding inscriptions slogans such as “Black Lives Matter” and “I can’t breathe”

Recall the United States of America has been overwhelmed with protests in the past few days over the death of George Floyd, an African American.

The rally in Paris was reported to have turned violent hours later, as some demonstrators set fires and put up barricades.

In July 2016, Traore lost consciousness in a police vehicle and died at a police station after he was arrested for a dispute over an identity check.

State investigators exonerated three police officers from an accusation of heavy-handedness in the arrest of Traore, making claims that the 24-year old black died of a heart attack due to pre-existing medical conditions.

However, his family said he died from asphyxiation from police tactics.