The French government announced on Sunday that additional arrests had been made during a fifth consecutive night of riots triggered by the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old by the police.

As tensions escalated, law enforcement authorities dispatched extra personnel to cities across the country that had become hotspots for unrest.

The demonstrators, primarily consisting of underage individuals, have set cars on fire, caused damage to infrastructure, and engaged in confrontations with the police, expressing their deep-seated anger following the officer’s point-blank shooting of Nahel M. during an attempt to escape a traffic stop on Tuesday.

The incident, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, has intensified public outrage over police violence targeting minority communities, revealing the significant racial tensions prevalent in France.

In the aftermath of Nahel’s funeral in his hometown near Paris, the interior ministry reported that the police had conducted 719 arrests overnight, although this number is still considered a preliminary count. It follows a previous night where approximately 1,300 arrests were made.

According to official reports, a total of 45 police officers or gendarmes sustained injuries during the unrest.

Additionally, there were 577 vehicles set ablaze, 74 buildings deliberately ignited, and 871 fires intentionally started in streets and other public areas.

Although the nationwide figures indicated a general decrease in tensions throughout the country, law enforcement authorities still documented several incidents that occurred during the period.

The mayor of a town located south of Paris reported that rioters had deliberately crashed a car into his residence, resulting in injuries to his wife and one of his children. Furthermore, the assailants set a fire at the scene.

“Last night the horror and disgrace reached a new level,” said the mayor, Vincent Jeanbrun, while prosecutors said they were investigating the incident for attempted murder.

A considerable force of 45,000 police officers was deployed throughout France, mirroring the previous night’s deployment. Additional backup was sent to the areas that had experienced riots in the preceding days, such as Lyon, Grenoble, and Marseille.

Within this total number, 7,000 officers were concentrated in Paris and its surrounding suburbs, with particular attention paid to securing the iconic tourist destination, the Champs Elysees avenue in central Paris, as there were calls on social media to bring the unrest to the heart of the capital.

The significant presence of law enforcement personnel proved instrumental in maintaining control over the situation, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

“A calmer night thanks to the resolute action of the security forces,” he tweeted early Sunday.

In Marseille, a city that has witnessed severe clashes and looting during the recent unrest, police took action to disperse groups of youths on Saturday evening along Canebiere, the main avenue in the city center, as reported by AFP journalists.

In response to the escalating situation, several towns have declared overnight curfews to curb the violence and maintain public safety.

The ongoing protests have become a new crisis for President Emmanuel Macron, who had been striving to proceed with his second term after successfully navigating through months of protests that erupted in January, primarily concerning the proposed increase in the pensions age.

The gravity of the situation was further highlighted when President Macron made the decision to postpone his state visit to Germany, originally scheduled to begin on Sunday, in order to address the domestic issues arising from the unrest.