A fundraising campaign in support of a French police officer charged with the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk near Paris has been shut down after raising a staggering €1.6mn. The closure comes amidst complaints filed by the deceased teenager's family and politicians, raising concerns about the controversial nature of the crowdfunding initiative.
The fund, established by Jean Messiha, who has previously been associated with far-right presidential candidates Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour, attracted significant attention and garnered substantial donations. As of July 4, the campaign had amassed €1.6mn in contributions. In a parallel effort, a separate collection aimed at supporting the mother of the 17-year-old boy, who was raising him alone, had raised approximately €400,000, AFP reported.
The fundraising campaign for the police officer, hosted on the popular platform GoFundMe, received widespread criticism from several left-wing leaders who labeled it a "fund of shame." Its unexpected success sparked heated debates and ignited a controversy surrounding its purpose and implications.
Despite mounting pressure, GoFundMe declined to remove the controversial campaign from its platform. In response, Jean Messiha shifted the blame onto the teenager's family and the justice system, asserting their responsibility for the young boy's untimely death.
Yassine Bouzrou, the lawyer representing the family of the young teen shot dead on June 27 during a traffic stop in Nanterre, announced on July 4 evening that a formal complaint had been filed.
"A complaint was lodged today for organized gang fraud, misuse of personal data processing, and concealment of these offenses against Jean Messiha and against all persons who will be identified by the investigation as having participated in these offenses," Bouzrou stated.
Jean Messiha took to Twitter to vehemently reject the filed complaint. He dismissed its legal basis.
"Organized gang fraud? More than 100,000 donors. So we are more than 100,000 crooks. That's how we're being treated. I leave it to you to appreciate the full value of this accusation," Messiha exclaimed.
Before Messiha announced the closure of the fund, Members of Parliament Mathilde Panot and Arthur Delaporte had already escalated the matter by referring it to Paris public prosecutor Laure Beccuau. They sought to have the fund legally terminated, deeming it potentially illegal and condemning its initiator for exploiting the Nanterre tragedy to propagate ideas of hatred.
Mathilde Panot, leader of the LFI deputies at the National Assembly, described the fund as "an insult to Nahel's family and friends." The two MPs expressed concerns that the campaign could incite hatred and lead to a serious risk of public disorder, particularly given the volatile situation in the country.
The killing of Nahel Merzouk during a traffic stop on June 27 sparked waves of violent unrest across France, with many protesters asserting that it exposed deep-rooted issues related to racism and police conduct within the nation. Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin believe that the legal verdict should ultimately determine the campaign's legality, emphasizing the importance of the court's role in the matter.
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