France unrest: GoFundMe drive raises over $1 million for cop who killed teen

The police officer currently under investigation for fatally shooting a 17-year-old that triggered nationwide protests across France has had a fund collection for him, topping over $1 million in donations. A row has now broken out over the collection, with the protesters arguing that it now 'pays to kill innocent teenagers'.

Jean Messiha, a former adviser to the French far-right politician Marine Le Pen, set up the campaign on GoFundMewhich has raised nearly $1.05 million (963,000 euros) so far.

"Support for the family of the Nanterre policeman, Florian.M who has done his job and is now paying a high price. Support him MASSIVELY and support our law enforcement!" reads the description of the donation page which had an initial target of $55,000.

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Notably, a similar collection to help the family ofNahel Merzouk, the teenager shot by the French officer had only managed to collect $218,000-nearly five times less thanFlorian's.

Politicians criticise the fund collection

Olivier Faure, head of the Socialist Party, called on GoFundMe to close the fundraiser, accusing the platform of “hosting a pot of shame”.

“You maintain an already gaping fracture by participating in support of a police officer indicted for intentional homicide. Close!” said Faure.

Manon Aubry, a France Unbowed MEP, echoed a similar demand.

“More than a million euros collected on the initiative of a far-right polemicist [Messiha] in support of a police officer who kills a teenager. The message? It pays to kill a young Arab,” Aubry tweeted.

“Jean Messiha blows on the embers. It is a generator of riots. The pot of several hundred thousand euros for the police officer indicted in the homicide of young Nahel is indecent and scandalous," wroteEric Bothorelof the ruling Renaissance party.

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GoFundMe remains adamant

Despite the public backlash, GoFundMe said it will not take the campaign down as it did not violate any French law. It argued that themoney would not go to fund the police officer’s legal fees or defence.

“The money will be directly given to the family, which has been added as a beneficiary,” aspokesperson for GoFundMe told the French magazine Capital.

Notably, French law prohibits the “opening of or public announcement of subscriptions whose purpose is to compensate for fines, costs and damages awarded by judicial sentences in criminal and correctional matters”. If the rule is broken, it entails a six-month prison sentence or a $50,000 fine.

Around 45,000 police personnel are currently patrolling the streets of France with reinforcements consisting of specialised elite units, and armoured vehicles,in an attempt to restore calm.

(With inputs from agencies)

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