Paris policeman charged

A Paris policeman, Pascal Compain, was charged with murder yesterday after a young black Frenchman, arrested on suspicion of shoplifting, was shot dead in custody on Tuesday, Julian Nundy writes from Paris.

As news of the charge was released, gangs of youths clashed with police (above) for the second day running outside the police station where the killing of Nokome M'Bowole, 17, occurred. On Wednesday evening, after demonstrations called by anti-racist groups, 25 policemen were injured by stones and other missiles.

Charles Pasqua, the Interior Minister in the new conservative government, yesterday announced the suspension of four policemen involved in shooting incidents over the past few days.