In an official statement shared on social media, Kylian Mbappé and the players of the French national team are calling for calm after several nights of violence.
The French team is getting involved and advocating for calm in a statement first shared by Benjamin Pavard and later by Kylian Mbappé. The players express being “marked” and “shocked by the brutal death” of Nahel, and they initially believe that one cannot “remain indifferent to the circumstances in which this unacceptable death occurred.”
They add, “Since this tragic event, we have witnessed the expression of popular anger, which we understand at its core, but we cannot endorse its form. Many of us come from disadvantaged neighborhoods, and we also share the feelings of pain and sadness. However, this suffering is compounded by the helplessness of witnessing a true process of self-destruction. Violence resolves nothing, especially when it inevitably and tirelessly turns against those who express it, their families, loved ones, and neighbors.”
“The ‘living together’ that we hold dear is in danger, and it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve it. There are other peaceful and constructive ways to express ourselves. That is where our energies and thoughts should focus. The time for violence must end to make way for mourning, dialogue, and rebuilding.”
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) June 30, 2023