![France's President Emmanuel Macron addresses mayors of cities affected by the violent clashes that erupted after a teen was shot dead by police last week during a meeting at the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris on July 4, 2023 [LUDOVIC MARIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/GettyImages-1494938741-scaled-e1688557158304.jpg?resize=1200%2C800&quality=85&strip=all&zoom=1&ssl=1)
As protests over the killing of a French-Algerian teen by police at point blank range seemed to taper off yesterday, France's president said cutting internet access during such times of crisis might be needed.
Telling a gathering of mayors of towns where the protests turned violent that the riots have passed their peak, Emmanuel Macron added: "We must get down to restoring the sustainable order as our absolute priority."
"I will be cautious for the following days and weeks but the peak has passed," the president told the mayors at Paris' Elysee Palace, according to French broadcaster BFMTV.
"When things die down, maybe there should be a regulation or a restriction on [internet] access," said Macron. "This must especially not be done in the heat of the moment, and I am glad that we didn't have to do it."
Macron also called for reviewing the use of social media by the youngest and mentioned bans.
READ: Mother of teen driver killed by French police officer alleges racial motivation in his death
Police arrested 16 people last night, including seven in Paris, the Interior Ministry said today, according to daily Le Figaro. The figures were down sharply from previous nights.
Over 110 fires on public roads were started and 78 vehicles were set on fire, the same source added.
The protests started last week when a police officer shot dead 17-year-old French-Algerian Nahel M at point blank range during a traffic check in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre.
The officer now faces a formal investigation for voluntary homicide and has been placed under preliminary detention. However, a GoFundMe page set up to support him has raised almost €1.7 million ($1.86 million).
After starting in Nanterre, the protests quickly spread to other cities, including Lyon, Toulouse, Lille and Marseille.
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