A controversial fundraising campaign to help the family of the policeman who killed teenager Nahel M. in France has topped €1 million,
Politico reports.
The campaign was launched on popular U.S. platform GoFundMe by a French far-right figure and on Monday reached the €1 million mark — nearly five times more than a fundraising effort to help the 17-year-old's mother.
Despite the controversy, GoFundMe said it wouldn't take the campaign down.
On Monday, French ministers invited on radio and TV shows painstakingly tried to avoid taking a stance on the subject.
"Everyone can express their feelings and contribute to a fund ... But I think, in this case, that it doesn't go in the direction of appeasement," Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti told France Inter.
The killing of the 17-year-old of North African descent by a police officer last week has thrown France into chaos, sparking violent demonstrations across the country and re-igniting long-simmering tensions between the youth and the police, who have been accused of brutality and racial discrimination.
In the past days, rioters have looted stores, burned down city halls and police stations, and in one case attacked a mayor's home and his family.
Tensions appeared to have slowed down Monday morning. On Sunday night, about 157 people were arrested — a sharp decrease compared with previous days. The police and the government remain on high alert.
The fundraising campaign to help the police officer's family was initiated by Jean Messiha, a far-right media figure and backer of former presidential candidate Eric Zemmour. "Support for the family of the Nanterre police officer, Florian.M, who did his job and is now paying a heavy price," the page reads.
