France celebrates Bastille Day with pomp, a recognition for India and additional police to forestall new distress

PARIS — France celebrated its national holiday Friday with whizzing warplanes and a grand Bastille Day parade in Paris — and with more than 100,000 police deployed around the country to prevent a new outbreak of unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods.

This year, the celebrations marking the start of the French Revolution on July 14, 1789 come in the wake of the nation’s most serious rioting in nearly 20 years, following the fatal police shooting of a teenager with North African roots that laid bare anger over entrenched inequality and racial discrimination.

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Warrior planes and military helicopters whooshed Friday right over the site where 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was killed last month, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on their way toward the Curve de Triomphe and the celebrity visitors watching the procession. The roads were uncommonly peaceful as nearby inhabitants accumulated at Nanterre's Nelson Mandela Square to watch the flyby.

India was the honorable visitor at the current year's Bastille Day march, with Top state leader Narendra Modi watching close by French President Emmanuel Macron. Around 240 Indian soldiers drove the walk down the Champions Elysees before large number of French powers, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the elevated presentation.

France frequently grandstands global accomplices on Bastille Day, and the selection of India comes as France hopes to additionally fortify participation on battling environmental change, military deals and countering China's developing impact in the vital Indo-Pacific area. In any case, common freedoms were absent from the immense plan, in spite of worries raised by European administrators, privileges gatherings and others.Russia's conflict in Ukraine — fundamental to last year's Bastille Day festivities - reverberated in the current year's occasions too. Vehicles in plain view incorporated the Caesar hostile to rocket batteries that France is giving to Ukraine, and Ukrainian authorities were welcome to join Macron in the celebrity seats.

Just before France's public day, Macron offered a post mortem Army of Honor grant to a French writer killed in Ukraine recently, Arman Soldin of information organization Agence France-Presse.Fighter jets and military helicopters whooshed Friday right above the site where 17-year-old Nahel Merzouk was killed last month, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, on their way toward the Arc de Triomphe and the VIP guests watching the parade. The streets were unusually quiet as local residents gathered at Nanterre’s Nelson Mandela Square to watch the flyby.

India was the guest of honor at this year’s Bastille Day parade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi watching alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. About 240 Indian troops led the march down the Champs-Elysees before thousands of French forces, and French-made Indian warplanes joined the aerial display.

France often showcases international partners on Bastille Day, and the choice of India comes as France looks to further strengthen cooperation on fighting climate change, military sales and countering China’s growing influence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. But human rights were missing from the vast agenda, despite concerns raised by European lawmakers, rights groups and others.Russia’s war in Ukraine — central to last year’s Bastille Day celebrations – echoed in this year’s events as well. Vehicles on display included the Caesar anti-missile batteries that France is providing to Ukraine, and Ukrainian officials were invited to join Macron in the VIP seats.

On the eve of France’s national day, Macron gave a posthumous Legion of Honor award to a French journalist killed in Ukraine earlier this year, Arman Soldin of news agency Agence France-Presse.

The Bastille Day parade included 6,500 people marching, 94 planes and helicopters, 219 ground vehicles, 200 horses and 86 dogs. Festivities are held in towns and cities around France to commemorate the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 that marked the start of the French Revolution, and to celebrate France’s ideals of “liberty, equality and fraternity.”

But the motto rings hollow for many people living in neglected housing projects who trace their roots to former French colonies and struggle with lack of opportunity and day-to-day racism. These issues came to the fore after Merzouk’s killing in Nanterre, during a traffic stop.

The fatal shooting at point-blank range, captured on video, sparked several days of clashes with police, burning of buildings and vehicles and looting of stores in cities and towns around France.

The roses on a roadside memorial to Merzouk on the Boulevard des Bouvets had long withered by Friday’s Bastille Day celebrations. A nearby Monoprix supermarket was still boarded up, and the walls near the intersection where the police shot and killed the teenager were still tagged with words of anger: “Vengeance for Nahel,” anti-police slogan “ACAB,” and “Death to the king,” an apparent dig at what is seen as Macron’s out-of-touch leadership.