aKula

A similar thing happened in Australia recently when an aboriginal child died while cycling from police (IIRC he wasn't involved in any crime, just fled the police). The subsequent riots took place in both cases because of the feeling in the community of not having the oppurtunities the rest of the country has. In that are also feelings of being the victims of racism and wider intolerance especially as I think many such people are exposed to racist comments in the streets. I think there is a feeling of the deaths occuring due to the unfair targeting of ethnic minorities by the police force.

High unemployment and a feeling of having no oppurtunity to better their situation, causes disdain for the authorities. Such an event triggers the anger and disdain felt to be expressed in a violent form. The French interior minister has not handled the situation well by making comments that exasperate the "us vs them" mentality which fuels even more anger.