Anti-racism protests continue in Paris despite ban by French authorities

July 8 (UPI) -- Hundreds of anti-racism protestors defied an official ban and marched in central Paris Saturday on the anniversary of the death of a Black man who died in 2016 while in police custody.

French authorities had banned people from demonstrating over the death of Adama Traore in the wake of a recent wave of protests and riots over the police-involved shooting death of 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk during a traffic stop.

Laurent Nuñez, the head of the Paris police, told The Guardian the march was "likely to attract radical elements with a view to committing acts of violence; the reasons which led the prefect of Val-d'Oise to ban the gathering [there]."

Saturday's march was led by Traeore's half-sister Assa. The organizing committee for the march said that it was a "precious and necessary commemoration for our families and for all those who defend equality and want an end to police impunity."

Le Figaro reported that Youssouf Traoré, one of the brothers of Adama, was arrested by French police during the march on charges of "violence against a person holding public authority."

Two other protests took place Saturday in Paris, one at Place de la République to support Palestinians and a second by the Union of Ukrainians.

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on Friday urged France to "address, as a matter of priority, the structural and systemic causes of racial discrimination, including in law enforcement, in particular in the police."

So far more than 3,700 people have been taken into police custody in connection with the protests since Nahel's death, according to official figures.