At least 150 detained in protests in France for the death of a teenager at the hands of the Police

MADRID, 29 (EUROPA PRESS)

At least 150 people have been detained during protests in France that broke out on Tuesday after a 17-year-old boy was shot dead by police in Nanterre.

The French Interior Minister, Gérald Darmanin, reported the number of arrests early this Thursday morning, denouncing "a night of unbearable violence against symbols" of the country such as schools, town halls or police stations.

"I support the police, gendarmes and firefighters who bravely show their faces. Shame on those who did not call for calm," said the holder of the portfolio through his profile on the social network Twitter.

Darmanin, as indicated by a ministerial source to the BFMTV channel, has closely followed the situation throughout the night from Beauvau, headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior.

The protests tonight have not been limited to the Paris region, but there have been numerous riots in other districts of cities such as Toulouse or Lille, where the clashes have lasted for several hours.

For its part, the French newspaper 'Le Figaro' reported overnight that there has been an attempted prisoner escape from the Fresnes prison, located on the Isle of France. Dozens of hooded men tried to break into the prison to escape, however, the attempt has been repelled.

The protests have erupted after a 17-year-old boy was shot in the chest at a police checkpoint, after his vehicle was intercepted. The responsible agent, who will remain detained until Wednesday, has affirmed in a first hearing that he acted "in self-defense".

After the death of the teenager, the Police denounced an attempted hit-and-run, although a video has denied this version. The Government has deployed some 2,000 police and gendarmes in Nanterre.