Topic and Guest: Protests, Riots and the International Black Freedom Movement. Africa Now!'s topic today is part two of our discussion on two weeks ago entitled Terrorism, White Supremacy, and Violence on African Peoples. Today we focus our attention to Protests, Riots and the International Black Freedom Movement as we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the uprisings in France in 2005. On October 27, 2005, two French youths of Mauritanian and Tunisian descent (Bouna Traoré and Zyed Benna) were electrocuted as they fled the police in the Parisian suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois. Their deaths sparked nearly three weeks of rioting in 274 towns throughout the Paris region and other regions. (L-R) Dr. James Pope, Ms. Yannise Tchouankea, Dr. Clarence Lusane, Mr. Mwiza Munthali The protesters, mostly unemployed teenagers/young adults from destitute suburban housing projects (the cités). Indeed, the suburbs are home to a large West African and North African community, are plagued by chronic unemployment and poverty. Unemployment in the neighborhoods is double and sometimes triple the 10 percent national average, while incomes are about 40 percent lower. These unrests have undoubtedly exposed a French society fractured, broken. On May 18, 2015 a court, at the request of the prosecutor, acquitted two police officers who had been charged in the deaths of Zyed and Bouna. So 10 years later, did the 2005 French Uprising have a real impact on French society? Joining us to discuss this topic is Dr. Clarence Lusane.Dr. Clarence Lusane, Professor of International Relations and the in-coming Chair of the Political Science Department at Howard University. He is formerly Professor of Political Science and International Relations, and the former Program Director for Comparative and Regional Studies in the School of International Service at American University. He has taught courses in comparative race relations, modern social movements, comparative politics of the Americas and Europe.Originally broadcast on WPFW 89.3FM, Washington, DC. Tune into Africa Now! live on WPFW 89.3 FM in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area or visit www.wpfwfm.org on Wednesdays from 1:00 to 2:00PM (Eastern).
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