Grandmother of teen shot dead by police calls for calm in Paris

The grandmother of the teenager shot dead by police during a traffic stop in a Paris suburb said on Sunday she wanted the nationwide rioting triggered by his killing to end, as France braced for a potential sixth night of unrest.

Some 45,000 police were deployed again on Sunday night, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmnin, to deter rioters who have torched cars, looted stores and targeted town halls and police stations, including the home of the mayor of a Paris suburb, which was attacked while his wife and children were asleep inside.

President Emmanuel Macron postponed a state visit to Germany to deal with the crisis. He was due to meet with leaders of parliament on Monday and with more than 220 mayors of towns and cities that have been affected by riots on Tuesday.

The interior ministry reported 719 arrests following Saturday's funeral for Nahel in the Paris suburb of Nanterre, down from 1,311 on Friday night and 875 on Thursday night.

But officials cautioned it was too early to say the unrest was over.

"There was evidently less damage but we will remain mobilised in the coming days. We are very focused, nobody is claiming victory," Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said.