Several thousand people marched through the streets of Paris on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in a powerful demonstration of grief and outrage over the death of 35-year-old Mauritanian immigrant worker El Hacen Diarra in police custody. Chanting slogans such as “a police force that kills us” and demanding accountability, protesters gathered at the migrant shelter in northeast Paris's 20th arrondissement where Diarra had resided and where his violent arrest occurred on the night of January 14.
The march began at the shelter on Rue des Haies and proceeded to the local police station, with participants carrying banners emblazoned with “Justice” and “RIP El Hacen Diarra.” Family members, including Diarra's cousin Diankou Sissoko, joined the procession, which an AFP journalist described as drawing crowds in the several thousands. The event combined a tribute march with calls against police violence and racism, amid a backdrop of recurring allegations against French law enforcement.
Diarra, a Mauritanian national living in precarious conditions at the shelter, died shortly after his arrest and transfer to the police station. According to prosecutors, officers observed him rolling what appeared to be a cannabis joint outside the facility and attempted a body search, which he allegedly resisted. He was detained on charges of resisting arrest, possession of “a brown substance resembling cannabis,” and holding “forged administrative documents.” Police reports state that while seated on a bench at the station awaiting processing, Diarra suddenly lost consciousness. Officers placed him in the recovery position, performed chest compressions, and summoned paramedics, but he was pronounced dead despite resuscitation efforts.
Family accounts and video evidence paint a starkly different picture of the arrest. Footage captured by neighbors and widely circulated on social media shows officers restraining Diarra on the ground, with one appearing to deliver two punches to a man lying prone while another stands nearby. In audio analysis provided by the family, Diarra is heard crying out “You’re strangling me!” during the struggle. The family disputes police claims of aggression, describing Diarra as “kind, smiling,” and “quiet,” and insisting the encounter escalated unnecessarily from a simple coffee break outside the shelter.
Diarra's relatives filed a formal complaint through their lawyer, Yassine Bouzrou, accusing security forces of “intentional violence that led to a death.” The Paris prosecutor's office opened an investigation on January 19, 2026, for “voluntary violence by a person holding public authority resulting in death,” with an autopsy conducted to determine the precise cause. Preliminary findings have not been publicly released, but the family highlighted results they say are “characteristic” of strangulation or related trauma.
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez addressed the case in an interview with Le Parisien published on January 25, rejecting immediate calls to suspend the involved officers pending the probe's outcome. “The officer who, in the footage, throws two punches will have to explain himself,” Nuñez stated. “But nothing indicates, at this stage, what the causes of death are.” He described the incident as one of “isolated cases” that unfairly tarnish the broader police force and emphasized trusting the judicial process. Nuñez reiterated that no suspensions would occur “until fault is established,” while acknowledging the video's disturbing nature and its potential to discredit officers generally.
The protest reflects deep-seated frustrations over police conduct in France, particularly toward minorities and migrants. Activists and rights groups have long accused law enforcement of systemic racism and excessive force, citing patterns in arrests, stop-and-searches, and custody deaths. Diarra's case adds to a series of high-profile incidents fueling public anger.
Notable precedents include the 2023 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel M. during a traffic stop in Nanterre, which sparked nationwide riots and led prosecutors to recommend a trial for the officer involved; a March 2026 court ruling is expected on whether the case proceeds to criminal court. In 2024, three officers received suspended prison sentences for inflicting irreversible rectal injuries on a Black man during a 2017 stop-and-search, highlighting ongoing scrutiny of police tactics.
The “yellow vest” movement from 2018–2019 also saw widespread allegations of disproportionate force, with documented cases of injuries from flash-ball launchers and other less-lethal weapons. Rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly called for reforms, including better training, independent oversight, and mandatory body-camera activation (noted as inactive during Diarra's arrest).
At the demonstration, Diankou Sissoko voiced skepticism about achieving justice. “I don’t believe at all that we will see justice, because even before El Hacen died there were other deaths and there has never been justice,” she told AFP. Her words echoed broader sentiments among protesters, many from immigrant communities, who see Diarra's death as emblematic of unequal treatment in custody and enforcement.
The march remained largely peaceful, though it underscored tensions in a city and country grappling with integration, migration policies, and trust in institutions. Public figures and local politicians, including Communist councilor Anne Baudonne, criticized the continued active duty of the arresting officers and demanded transparency.
As the judicial inquiry progresses—potentially involving forensic analysis, witness statements, and review of station footage—the case risks amplifying debates over police accountability, racial bias in law enforcement, and the treatment of vulnerable populations in France. For Diarra's family and supporters, the demonstration served as both mourning and a demand for systemic change to prevent future tragedies.
