Macron told reporters: “We have an adolescent that was killed, it is unexplainable and inexcusable. Nothing justifies the death of a young man.”

The president extended “solidarity and affection” to the teenager’s family, adding: “We need calm for justice to be done, we need calm everywhere because we don’t want a situation that degenerates.”

More than 2,000 police will be stationed on estates outside Paris and other big cities on Wednesday night as France braces for further protests after unrest on Tuesday night led to 31 arrests, 24 police officers slightly injured and about 40 cars torched in clashes with officers in several Paris suburbs.

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Police initially reported that one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car at him. But this version of events was quickly contradicted by a video circulating on social media that was authenticated by French news agencies.

The footage shows in fact that the two police officers were standing by the side of the stationary car, with one pointing a weapon at the driver. A voice is heard saying: “You are going to get a bullet in the head.”

The officer then appears to fire point blank as the car abruptly drives off. The car moved a few dozen metres before crashing. Nael died shortly after.

“It’s always the same people, the same ethnicities – that’s what’s bringing everyone out to protest and that’s why the whole world is talking about this,” said Linda, 40, who had dropped her three-year-old daughter at school on Tuesday before witnessing the aftermath of the police shooting, metres from her child’s school.

“If you are slightly of colour, or from an immigrant background, you’ll be judged differently. There are two different justice systems, that is what is not working.”