French government calls for calm after violence over youth death in Nantes

PARIS - France's Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet on Wednesday called for calm after violence erupted overnight in the western town of Nantes.

"I'm appealing for absolute calm, as the rule of law will be completely respected," the minister told RTL radio.

She said local authority has launched an investigation into the young man's death and promised "utmost transparency" in the investigation.

Waves of violence broke out late Tuesday after local police shot dead a 22-year-old man at a check point.

The young man injured an officer while backing his car away from the checkpoint, forcing another policeman to open fire and shoot him dead, police were quoted by local media.

His death triggered violence in several areas in the French town. Some rioting youth even clashed with police and set fire to cars and a shopping mall.

About 200 police officers were deployed to the affected zone to dispersed the violent protesters. Local media said calm has returned in the early hours of Wednesday.

On Feb 2, 2017, violent clashes erupted between nearly 1,000 young men and the local police in a Paris suburb after a black man young man was allegedly the victim of police violence and rape.