LIVE UPDATES: Rebel News is in France, reporting live from the riots
Ezra Levant, founder of Rebel News, and I flew into to Marseilles Sunday morning, one of the more popular locations where rioters are demonstrating.
On June 27, 17-year-old Nehal Merzouk was fatally shot after being pulled over for traffic violations. Merhzouk was ofย Algerian descent, and in response to his death, the French-Algerian community along with others have been firebombing, attacking and looting French cities.
French President Emmanuel Macron has sent out 45,000 police officers to put an end to day 5 of the violent riots shaking the country.ย Last night, over 700 people were arrested, with the average age being 17.
Merzouk's funeral took place on Saturday, with tens of thousands attending. Many believe this to be a change in the mood and a sign of calmer nights ahead.
Follow for our full reports as they come in atย FranceOnFire.comย and chip in towards our modest travel costs.ย
Here are the latest updates from Sunday:
On the ground here in Marseille, France, with @ezralevant, to cover the riots in response to the police shooting of a Muslim teenager.
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
Stay tuned for live coverage at https://t.co/bs0scwqGn7 and here. pic.twitter.com/4WlwRRB2Hh
French riot cops are arriving in Marseilles in the exact spot where one of the riots was last night. All around are graffiti saying โNiq le policeโ โ French for โF. the policeโ. For all of our reports, visit https://t.co/wNdx0YNGAG pic.twitter.com/uwJXGSm7yl
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023
Itโs 5:45 p.m. in the French city of Marseille. Still three and a half hours till nightfall, but riot police are arriving en masse near the Old Port. Follow our citizen journalism (and please help us cover our costs) at https://t.co/wNdx0YNGAG. pic.twitter.com/mpwrPyeaeX
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023
Fashion in Marseilles. https://t.co/wNdx0YNGAG pic.twitter.com/i8lGwfilTF
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023
Police are building a presence here in the Old Port.
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
Some are randomly checking bags of people on the street. pic.twitter.com/t4okrh7Nfg
Police = Assassins graffiti spotted pic.twitter.com/1LMPtDD1Xc
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
"The police kill" pic.twitter.com/14xbW4wCzk
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023
Hearing reports from local journalists who are in contact with the police and say it's a calm tonight so far.
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
Here's the scene right now, police are amassing, and some graffiti calling for their dissolution, in acid.
Stay tuned at https://t.co/bs0scwqGn7 we will be on scene. pic.twitter.com/N4YNE8txTw
Here is France's police helicopter flying over to track where the youths are congregating and rioting.
โ Efrain Flores Monsanto ๐จ๐ฆ๐ (@realmonsanto) July 2, 2023
It's been in the air since mid-afternoon. pic.twitter.com/21H01TLkBx
Itโs dusk in Marseille, France. Tables of Algerian men drink tea at a cafe while dozens of riot police wait in their vans. Young men mill around waiting for something. Others walk by, oblivious. A fire truck passes by. https://t.co/wNdx0YNGAG pic.twitter.com/YWrVM6hNVQ
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023
French riot cops are arriving in Marseilles in the exact spot where one of the riots was last night. All around are graffiti saying โNiq le policeโ โ French for โF. the policeโ. For all of our reports, visit https://t.co/wNdx0YNGAG pic.twitter.com/uwJXGSm7yl
โ Ezra Levant ๐๐ (@ezralevant) July 2, 2023

Efron Monsanto
Head of Video
Formerly Hamilton-based, now Toronto man and Head of Video Production for Rebel News, Efron Monsanto joined as an intern in 2017 and has been a Rebel ever since. While witnessing Canada succumb to government overreach through the powers of un-elected medical bureaucrats, he became a video journalist. Documenting police and municipal thuggery alike, he strives to shine light on the darkness that is covering Canadaโs liberty.
https://t.co/rwEHlIyaHM