Macron postpones state visit to Germany as riots escalate across France
French President Emmanuel Macron.
French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his state visit to Germany due to growing unrest in the country, following instances of riots, loot and arson. Macron approached theGerman presidency and asked for a postponement of the 'planned visit'.
"French President Macron spoke today by telephone with German President (Frank-Walter) Steinmeier and informed him of the situation in his country," a presidency statement said.
"President Macron asked for a postponement of his planned state visit to Germany," it added, without divulging if a new date had been agreed for the postponed visit.
The German president regretted the "cancellation" but said he "has full understanding given the situation in our neighbouring country". He hoped that"the violence on the streets will end as soon as possible and that social peace can be restored".
The state visit was scheduled to begin on Sunday (July 2) at the invitation of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. It was supposed to be the first state visit by a French president in 23 years, since Jacques Chirac travelled to Berlin in 2000.
The visit was to take place from July 2 to 4 and according to Steinmeier's office, it was intended"to honour the close friendship of the two countries in the 60th year of the Elysée Treaty" on bilateral relations.
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Macron was supposed to visit "several regions of Germany"in order to "underline the unique ties" between the two countries and its citizens, particularly the youth.
What is happening in France?
France has plunged into anarchy after protests started in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a teen, metamorphosed into countrywide riots.Violent protesters, mostly young, clashed with police and looted luxury stores, putting further pressure on PresidentMacron.
Watch |Protests and violence in France as police kills a driver in Nanterre
According to reports, more than 1,300 people have been arrested in the four days since the protests began. Over 45,000 police officers, including special forces, have been pressed into service to contain the situation, especially in Marseille and Lyon, the two biggest cities in France and the epicentre of violence.
Such has been the situation that French footballer Kylian Mbappe released a statement, condemning the violence and urging protesters to calm down.
"Violence solves nothing, even less when it inevitably and tirelessly turns against those who express it, their families, loved ones and neighbours," Mbappesaid.
"It is your property that you are destroying, your neighbourhoods, your council estates, your places of fulfillment and proximity," he wrote on Twitter.
“The time of violence must end to make way for that of mourning, dialogue and reconstruction.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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