FRANCE BEDLAM: Protestors CLASH with police as French streets descend into chaos
PROTESTORS clashed with French police again on Friday as they railed against the alleged police rape of a man during an arrest.
Protestors CLASH with police as France descend into chaos
The enraged youth took to the streets in a stand-off with police in Rouen, Paris, after two weeks of demonstrations continued to explode accross France.
Demonstrators held banners to show their support in Nantes, Western France.
The violence that rocked the city flared up following the alleged police rape of the man, named only as "Theo" during his arrest in Aulnay-sous-Bois on February 2.
The protests had been mostly in the suburbs in recent weeks, but erupted in Paris as more people joined in to show their disgust at the alleged police abuse.
Rioters have been unrelenting as they clashed with police even after news filtered through that a policeman had been charged with rape and three more with assault.
The policeman denies any wrongdoing.
Protestors took to the streets to demonstrate against police brutality
Theo, a 22-year-old youth worker, was released from hospital on Thursday still suffering with injuries to his anus and his head after accusing police of raping him anally with a baton.
He underwent emergency rectum surgery and has been visited by President Francois Hollande.
Hollande has appealed for calm and for "justice to be served" in a bid to stop violence escalating further.
Theo, said in a Facebook video on Thursday that the notes and visits from supporters helped him hang on and made it possible for him to be here among you today.
Tear gas is used by police in an attempt to clear the crowd
French riot policemen stand guard during a demonstration against police brutality
However, the youth took to the streets again in the wake of initial claims that there was “insufficient evidence” to support Theo's claim that he was deliberately sodomised by police.
And French police have to deal with lingering tensions after they said that the rape may have been an "accident."
The demonstrations have led to at least 200 people being arrested so far.
Earlier in the week, at least 400 people took to the streets during protests, according to police estimates.
The demonstrations descended into violence on Wednesday night, as hundreds of people made their anger known.
Protesters hold banners during a demonstration against police brutality tonight in Nantes, France
Police appear to arrest a man during a fresh round of violence on the streets of Paris
Hundreds of people, some wearing hoods to hide their identity took to the streets
Riots spread across Paris as people demonstrated for justice
And police felt the brunt of the protestors anger as they were targeted with molotov cocktails.
They have also been filmed being chased with cars, hit with steel poles and shot at.
Along with that, shops and banks were smashed up as the protestors ran riot.
One person is even accused of using a gun, and has been charged with gunfire and voluntary violence.
Armed officers were forced to fire live rounds of bullets and used tear gas to disperse the rioters.
Police also said that hundreds of cars had been torched in the orgy of violence.