Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Paris

Image source, EPA

There was a real attempt by the government and local leaders last night to avert the types of problems France has seen before.

People might remember, back in 2005, weeks of rioting around Paris because of the death of two young people who were running away from police.

This kind of spark can really set alight the deep feelings of inequality and the sense that police target young men from these suburbs.

I think that's what we're seeing now, and politicians here are concerned about whether what happened last night will develop into a similar pattern.

And despite calls for calm from the president, down in Nanterre and in many other places across France that anger, that spark, does seem to be spreading at the moment.

Last year, a record 13 people were killed by French police after traffic stops.

Rights groups say the number of police shootings have increased since a 2017 law change which broadened the framework for when officers can use firearms.

Two weeks ago, a 19-year-old driver was shot dead by police in the western France town of Angouleme, after allegedly hitting an officer in the legs during a traffic stop.

Citing official statistics, Le Monde newspaper reported that the annual number of police shootings at moving vehicles has consistently been higher, external since the change.

Campaigner Rokhaya Diallo told BFMTV on Wednesday that more shots fired meant a higher risk of being hit, especially for people of colour.

And Reuters news agency found that a majority of victims of lethal police shootings during traffic stops since 2017 were black or Arab.

French government spokesperson Olivier Veran has been speaking this morning and says that his thoughts go to Nahel's family and friends and "to the whole of France, who has been marked by this event."

"Last night's reactions are not intended to heal or to bring about justice, but instead they attack our republic," he told French TV channel BFMTV.

"But it's not the republic that is currently in custody; the republic did not kill this young man, nor is the police responsible for what happened.

"A man needs to be brought to justice for what happened, should the justice system deem it necessary. And it's our republic that guarantees that, should this person be found guilty, they will be punished."

The officer accused of killing Nahel, who said he had fired because he felt his life was in danger, is in custody on charges of voluntary manslaughter.

The Alliance Police union called for him to be presumed innocent until found guilty.

Image source, Reuters

The unrest started after French police shot a 17-year-old driver who refused to stop for a traffic check in the Paris suburb of Nanterre.

Emergency services attended the scene but Nahel, the driver, died shortly afterwards.

A video was released on social media shortly after through AFP news agency, showing two police officers trying to stop the vehicle and one pointing his weapon at the driver.

Riots took place for a second night across Paris and heavily in the suburb of Nanterre where Nahel was from.

At least 150 people have been arrested so far after setting cars alight, throwing fireworks at police and ransacking shops.

Image source, EPA

French President Emmanuel Macron has described the second night of violence following the shooting of a teenage boy by police as "unjustifiable".

Speaking at the start of a crisis meeting with ministers this morning, Macron denounced the attacks on state institutions.

It comes after the president yesterday described the teenager's death as "inexcusable".

Clement Beaune, the French transport minister, has tweeted, external about the protests that have broken out in Paris and across the country following the police shooting of a 17-year-old boy.

He says that nothing justifies the violence that targeted transport workers overnight, adding that buses and trams were destroyed in Île-de-France, the region that surrounds Paris.

Social media footage has revealed more about the minutes leading up to the death of 17-year-old Nahel in Paris.

The BBC's Hugh Schofield is there and has looked at the videos. He describes what they tell us about the police killing.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called a crisis meeting with some of his ministers following the unrest overnight, the Elysee Palace has just announced.

It comes after Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said earlier that at least 150 people have been arrested across the country, and several public buildings have been "burned or attacked".

Sabrina Sebaihi, a member of parliament for Nanterre, has told the BBC that she shares the anger of those who have taken to the streets in France.

"The situation is still very tense and people are still very angry. Not only do I understand but I also share the anger," she told Newsday on BBC World Service radio.

"How can you stand still after watching the video of a 17-year-old boy killed by a police officer, yelling seconds before that he's going to shoot him in the head...All of this has been going on for too many years with a lot of racially-motivated shootings of Arab and black youth.

Lucy Williamson
BBC News, Paris

Image source, EPA

Anger at Nahel’s death spilled onto France’s streets again last night, the violence spreading out from the Paris suburbs to cities across the country.

In Nanterre, where he was shot on Tuesday, police fired tear gas at groups throwing stones, and bins and vehicles were set on fire.

In another suburb of Paris, a bus was reportedly emptied of passengers before being set on fire.

Fires also burned in Toulouse, Lyon and Lille, public buildings were attacked in several places – and police pelted with stones, bottles and fireworks.

The government understands the risk that this situation could quickly spiral into widespread rioting, fuelled by long-running frustrations over inequality and police behaviour.

President Emmanuel Macron quickly described the shooting of Nahel as “unforgivable and inexplicable”. He and several government ministers have called for calm. So far, there’s little sign it’s working.

Image source, EPA

Protests have been taking place in Paris and other cities across overnight. Here's what we know so far about where the unrest has taken place:

• At least 150 people have been arrested in France amid escalating protests against the killing of a teenage boy by police

• Seventeen-year-old Nahel was killed by an officer during a traffic check in Nanterre on Tuesday
• Clashes have been reported across suburbs of Paris but have also spread to other cities and towns
• To the north of Paris, there have been disturbances in Lille and Amiens
• In the south, the cities of Toulouse and Lyon have seen protests on the streets

• Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin says violence has occurred almost everywhere in France - he tweeted “shame on those who did not call for calm”

People have been taking to the streets in cities across France overnight over the killing of a teenage boy by police.

Videos and images show shops being ransacked and cars set alight, while fireworks were also aimed at police.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, EPA

Image source, Reuters

France's interior minister has said in the last half hour that 150 arrests have been made during protests overnight.

Gérald Darmanin said in a tweet , externalthat town halls, schools and police stations - what he called "symbols of the republic" - were targeted in a night of "unbearable violence" across the country.

A tally compiled by Reuters news agency found that a majority of victims of lethal French police shootings during traffic stops since 2017 were black or Arab.

Last year saw a record 13 people killed after not complying with a traffic stop.

Nahel himself came from a French-Algerian family, a neighbour has told Reuters.

Police stations, officers and cars were targeted by violent demonstrators overnight. Watch some of those moments here.

Video posted to social media overnight shows a group of young people setting fire to documents and chairs inside the town hall of Mons-en-Barœul - a suburb of Lille.

In the video we see numerous fires in different rooms. Piles of documents are alight, as people wearing hooded jumpers and balaclavas throw more papers and chairs onto the already burning documents.

The video then shows a large group gathered outside the town hall. Other footage shows fireworks being launched at the building's façade.

French president Emmanuel Macron was quick to denounce what he described as an "unforgivable" shooting.

Speaking to reporters in Marseille on Tuesday, he said "nothing justifies the death of a young person”.

"I would like to express the feelings of the entire nation at what has happened and the death of young Nahel, and to tell his family of our solidarity and the nation's affection."

"We have a teenager who has been killed. It's inexplicable, unforgivable," he said, adding that the the case was immediately referred to the courts where he hoped justice would "do its job quickly".

Much of the anger felt by demonstrators in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, where Nahel was from, was directed at police.

Violence was concentrated in Nanterre's Pablo-Picasso district according to the AFP news agency, where many young people took to the streets as the sun went down at about 10pm, and set fire to cars and rubbish bins.

"They're backing off! Let's go guys, let's go, death to cops!" one person reportedly yelled.

On Tuesday, police shot dead a 17-year-old who failed to stop for a traffic check.

The teenager, named as Nahel M, was shot at point-blank range as he drove off and crashed soon afterwards.

According to French media, police initially suggested the teen drove his car towards them with the intention of hurting them. But footage you can see above - which was verified by the AFP news agency - shows an officer pointing his weapon at the driver through his window and appearing to fire at point-blank range.

The agency also reports that a person in the video can be heard saying: "You're going to be shot in the head" - but it is unclear who says it.

Since the death of Nahel, hundreds have taken to the streets across France.

Good morning. It's 5am in London and 6am in Paris, and we've been following all the latest developments in France overnight.

Hundreds of people have taken to the streets for the second night in a row after the death of 17-year-old Nahel, a teenager from a suburb of Paris who was fatally shot in the chest by police on Tuesday after refusing a traffic stop.

There's been an enormous outpouring of grief and anger, with everyone from President Emmanuel Macron to footballer Kylian Mbappé condemning the killing.

But protests over the death have turned violent with police stations and other buildings targeted with fireworks, explosives and other projectiles. Cars have been set alight and people appear to have broken into a town hall in a suburb of Lille.

At least 77 arrests have been made so far.

I'm Phelan Chatterjee and I'll be bringing you the latest updates with help from my colleagues in London and Singapore.