a man sentenced to 6 months in prison for having participated in the burning of the Etouvie media library during the recent urban violence

A man was sentenced to six months in prison for helping to burn down the Etouvie media library located in Amiens (Somme), France Bleu Picardie reports this Friday July 21. The building is on the list of locations targeted during the riots that followed Nahel’s death in late June.

The 34-year-old man was tried by the Amiens Criminal Court for complicity in the fire at the media library under construction on July 1, during the urban violence. He admitted giving a t-shirt that was used to light the fire.

Two women tried in September

During the hearing, the 30-year-old – who has 15 criminal records including one already for arson in 2012 – claimed not to have “participated in the riots” and trying to talk to the rioters to try to calm things down, “to ask them to stop”.

The court finally decided to uphold the recidivism and sentence the man to 18 months in prison: six months in prison with continued detention and one year suspended probation which notably provides for 140 hours of community service. The 30-year-old’s car is also seized. The lawyer for the individual indicates that his client will not appeal the conviction.

The day before, the media library had already been set on fire. Two women will be judged for this fact on September 27th.