Death of Adama Traoré

[1] His death triggered riots and protests against police brutality in France, with new resurgence and resonance since the murder of George Floyd in the United States that some perceived as being under similar circumstances in 2020.

The officers locked a handcuff around one of his wrists, but Adama was having hard time catching his breath and requested a few minutes to rest, which they granted to him.

[5] At that point, one of the arresting officers was attacked and knocked to the ground by an unknown third party who fled the scene, allowing Traoré to escape again to hide in a nearby house.

[10] When fire service paramedics arrived and saw Traoré was no longer breathing, they called an emergency medical team from the SAMU who tried to resuscitate him.

Others suggested the possibility of presence of drugs in his body contributing to his death, but an initial toxicology report on his vomit was negative for marijuana and alcohol.

[16] A lawyer specialized in police violence suggested that state medical examiners will tend to try to protect the system and lack independence.

[22] On 29 May 2020, French legal authorities released a final report clearing the three officers involved of wrongdoing and triggering renewed protests.

[9] A memorial rally originally planned for Saturday, 8 July 2023 in Beaumont-sur-Oise was banned by a court ruling fearful of a return of the urban violence that had shaken France in the preceding week.

An IGPN administrative inquiry has been opened into the circumstances surrounding the violence of the arrest of Yssoufou Traoré (Adama's brother), during which three journalists were also injured.