craft demonstrations and live entertainment The festivities kick off on Saturday, May 24 at 10:00 a.m. with the opening of the medieval market, where artisans and merchants offer products inspired by the Middle Ages Historical encampments will allow visitors to discover the daily lives of knights and craftsmen of the era The theme between East and West will enable you to learn more about cultural exchanges as well as the medical andhygiene practices handed down by Arabic-speaking physicians There will also be play areas for all ages and a concert of medieval world music in a Berber tent Storytelling and entertainment will enrich this unique immersion experience food stands will offer dishes inspired by medieval recipes providing an authentic culinary experience Children will be able to take part in educational workshops introducing them to the arts and crafts of the Middle Ages this event promises an enriching and entertaining experience It's time to travel back in time and celebrate medieval heritage in Beaumont-sur-Oise on May 24 and 25 Refer your establishment, click herePromote your event, click here Assa Traoré addresses a crowd during a demonstration in Persan to commemorate the fourth anniversary of her brother Adama Traoré's death "The fight for justice for Adama belongs to all of France," she says Crowds marched through the streets of the Paris suburb of Beaumont-sur-Oise over the weekend to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Adama Traoré a French Black man who died in police custody on July 19 Leading the chants of "Justice for Adama!" was Traoré's older sister she's been fighting to hold them responsible Due to public pressure in France since George Floyd's death in Minneapolis Traoré's efforts are beginning to bear fruit the three judges in charge of investigating Traoré's case announced that 14 elements of the case would be reexamined including the backgrounds and records of the police officers who arrested him An outside medical examiner will be brought in Legal experts say the ruling amounts to reopening the case and starting the investigation over Traoré has said she will never stop until she gets justice for her brother A protester holds a portrait of Adama Traoré during demonstrations to commemorate the fourth anniversary of his death judges in charge of investigating Traoré's case announced that various elements of the case would be reexamined the first thing I said to myself was that his death will not stay a simple news story," says Traoré Traoré founded the Committee for Justice and Truth for Adama The death of George Floyd transformed her small advocacy group into a national movement against racism and police violence In a gritty neighborhood around the Gare du Nord train station in the north of Paris people recognize her and stop her in the street to thank her for what she's doing shining the spotlight on the police violence and injustices that we face every day being Black," 19-year-old Christopher Johnson said during a recent protest in Paris Traoré has also gained global recognition. In June, she won the Global Good Award from the U.S "We had to go on the front lines and fight" left her job as a special education teacher to devote herself to her brother's cause Her father emigrated to France from Mali and married four times Traoré says all of her father's wives and children are close and support each other She tells NPR she couldn't watch the video showing police kneeling on George Floyd's neck because it would have been like watching her own brother die She and many others in France believe that They chased him after he tried to avoid an identity check because he wasn't carrying his ID Assa Traoré speaks at a demonstration to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the death of her brother Adama Traoré "Adama was asphyxiated when three gendarmes threw him to the ground face-down and put their full weight on his back," she says He wore his Bermuda shorts and a flowered shirt and cap He just wanted to go out and be free and enjoy a bike ride on his birthday." her brother died "under the weight of three police officers and a racist system." A state medical examiner ruled that Traoré's death was due to an underlying heart condition The three officers were transferred to new jurisdictions and never faced charges "We mourned Adama's death for a day," says Traoré "Then we had to go on the front lines and fight." She has been fighting ever since — holding rallies filing lawsuits and engaging medical experts to examine her brother's death The medical experts disputed the official ruling Her protest movement never caught on beyond a core group of supporters Traoré had called a gathering to coincide with protests in the U.S The demonstration in front of Paris' main criminal court would have normally drawn a couple hundred supporters but 20,000 people showed up — despite the pandemic French journalist Rokhaya Diallo says George Floyd's death the week before marked a turning point we also have racism and police brutality in France So if you cover what's going on in the U.S. you need to speak about what Black and brown people are going through here,'" Diallo says another large demonstration followed at Paris' Place de la République races and social backgrounds came out to demand justice for Adama "The fight for justice for Adama belongs to all of France" Now Assa Traoré has become the face of Black Lives Matter in France says she made her struggle for justice a grassroots movement from the beginning she has traveled the country doing a sort of Tour de France of troubled neighborhoods," he says She would visit to settle a fight between two gangs or if a young guy had been killed She would stay all night to help people and to give advice about lawyers very strong political desire to get connected with people." De Lagasnerie says Traoré has no timidity when it comes to the authority of the state "She's absolutely confident about her right to protest her right to be a French citizen and her right to be respected by the authorities," he says Although some see her as radical — civil rights lawyer Slim Ben Achour compares her to Angela Davis and says "That bothers a lot of people" — Traoré has allied with a broad range of climate activists healthcare workers and "yellow vest" anti-government protesters She says her movement cuts through race and class it's the French people from all classes and horizons who are rising up," she says "The fight for justice for Adama belongs to all of France." Traoré says when people stop her in the street to ask if she's Adama Traoré's sister the police had the power of life and death over my little brother," she says "My brother's name will go down in French history Become an NPR sponsor You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed It’s now easier than ever in France to act out “Star Wars” fantasies because its fencing federation has borrowed from a galaxy far far away and officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport granting the iconic weapon from George Lucas’ saga the same status as the foil the traditional blades used at the Olympics rigid polycarbonate lightsaber replicas can’t slice a Sith lord in half with the more expensive sabers equipped with a chip in their hilt that emits a throaty electric rumble even sound remarkably like the silver screen blades that Yoda and other characters wield in the blockbuster movies for duelists to work up an impressive sweat slashing The physicality of lightsaber combat is part of why the French Fencing Federation threw its support behind the sport and is now equipping fencing clubs with lightsabers and training would-be lightsaber instructors the French federation sees itself as combatting a Dark Side: The sedentary habits of 21st-century life that are sickening ever-growing numbers of adults and kids They don’t do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs,” says Serge Aubailly “It’s becoming difficult to (persuade them to) do a sport that has no connection with getting out off the sofa and playing with one’s thumbs That is why we are trying to create a bond between our discipline and modern technologies so participating in a sport feels natural.” Robin Hood and The Three Musketeers helped lure new practitioners to fencing joining and even supplanting them are Luke Skywalker “Cape and sword movies have always had a big impact on our federation and its growth,” Aubailly says “Lightsaber films have the same impact Young people want to give it a try.” practiced fencing for 20 years before switching to lightsaber When a club started offering classes in Metz the town in eastern France where he is stationed for the gendarmerie Bondi says he was immediately drawn by the prospect of living out the love he’s had for the Star Wars universe since he saw the first film at age 7 He fights in the same wire-mesh face mask he used for fencing He spent about 350 euros ($400) on his protective body armor (sturdy gloves shoulder and shin pads) and on his federation-approved lightsaber opting for luminous green “because it’s the Jedi colors given that my job is upholding the law,” he said Bondi awoke well before dawn to make the four-hour drive from Metz to a national lightsaber tournament outside Paris this month that drew 34 competitors It showcased how far the sport has come in a couple of years but also that it’s still light-years from becoming mainstream The crowd was small and a technical glitch prevented the duelers’ photos combat names and scores from being displayed on a big screen But the illuminated swooshes of colored blades looked spectacular in the darkened hall Fan cosplay as Star Wars characters added levity authenticity and a tickle of bizarre to the proceedings especially the incongruous sight of Darth Vader buying a ham sandwich and a bag of potato chips at the cafeteria during a break In building their sport from the ground up French organizers produced competition rules intended to make lightsaber dueling both competitive and easy on the eyes we wanted it to produce something visual that looks like the movies because that is what people expect,” said Michel Ortiz Combatants fight inside a circle marked in tape on the floor Strikes to the head or body are worth 5 points; to the arms or legs the bout enters “sudden death,” where the first to land a head- or body-blow wins Blows only count if the fighters first point the tip of their saber behind them tip-first quick forward strikes seen in fencing the rule encourages swishier blows that are easier for audiences to see and enjoy and which are more evocative of the duels in Star Wars the battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Maul in “The Phantom Menace” that ends badly for the Sith despite his double-bladed lightsaber is particularly appreciated by aficionados for its swordplay counting its paid-up practitioners in France in the hundreds lightsaber dueling has no hope of a place in the Paris Olympics in 2024 But to hear the thwack of blades and see them cut shapes through the air is to want to give the sport a try While the Ghost Town Trail in Ebensburg is recognized as a great place for outdoor recreational opportunities like .. Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave. Event to honour black man killed by police forms part of wider anti-racism protests Protesters have marched through a Paris suburb to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of a black man in custody whose case has sparked anger against police brutality and racial injustice in France The demonstration in Beaumont-sur-Oise honoured Adama Traoré, who died on his 24th birthday in July 2016 after an arrest in circumstances that remain unclear which also focused on broader anti-government grievances Since George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police in May Traoré’s family and other French activists have campaigned against police violence towards minority ethnic people Their campaign has gained renewed attention and mobilised thousands around the country called for police to be charged with homicide in her brother’s death She said her brother “took the weight of gendarmes” for several minutes Assa Traoré stands alongside her mother Oumou and sister Hawa before the protests commence Photograph: Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty ImagesInvestigative efforts into the Traoré case have been revived in recent weeks “Why did those investigations happen four years later?” Assa Traoré said “These investigations are because the people put pressure.” On the day of his death, gendarmes approached Traoré and his brother for an identity check in Beaumont-sur-Oise, which is north of Paris Traoré ran away because he didn’t have his ID but the gendarmes arrested him One gendarme initially said three officers had jumped on Traoré to pin him down but the gendarmes later denied that Twelve court-ordered medical reports found various cardiac diseases were responsible The Traoré family countered those with an independent autopsy and medical reports pointing to asphyxiation The case is still under investigation and lawyers for the officers deny police were at fault Traoré’s case has also shed light on the struggle of other French families who have lost relatives in police custody These are notably black and north African men who French researchers have found are disproportionately targeted by police According to a nationwide report by the news website Basta Mag at least 101 police-related deaths are under investigation whose 25-year-old brother Lamine Dieng died in a police van in 2007 spoke at Saturday’s rally and called for the creation of an independent body tasked with investigating instances of police violence also demanded a ban on heavy police weaponry and the repeal of a 2017 law that expanded police powers The French government recently agreed to pay Dieng’s family €145,000 (£131,000) to end legal proceedings over his death under a settlement brokered by the European court of human rights Assa Traoré has been touring French suburbs with large immigrant and minority ethnic communities geographical and economic lines to try to prompt an overhaul of France’s policing policies She said: “There are a huge number of names – they are immigrants has called for a ban on dangerous techniques that police use to immobilise people She has also urged France to scrap police oversight agencies which are composed of police officers themselves Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInThe force is getting stronger in France where the French Fencing Federation has officially recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport the federation has given the iconic "Star Wars" weapon the same status as the traditional blades — the foil épée and saber — and competitors can now begin to train like Luke Skywalker rigid polycarbonate lightsaber replicas used in competition won't be able to cut an opponent in half feel and sound pretty similar to George Lucas' version The federation is now providing lightsabers to fencing clubs and training lightsaber instructors in the ways of the Jedi Federation secretary general Serge Aubailly told the AP he hopes the popularity of Skywalker Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader will draw more young people to fencing "Cape and sword movies have always had a big impact on our federation and its growth," Aubailly said The new sport will be governed a new set of rules some of which are more typical of fencing than others Fighters still need to wear masks and armor for protection but matches take place inside a circle taped on the floor rather than a rectangular strip Five points are awarded for strikes to the head or body The first to reach 15 points — or the highest score after three minutes — wins the match "Sudden death" occurs if both fighters reach 10 points; in this case To add to the entertainment value of the fight strikes are only awarded if the fighter firsts swings their lightsaber behind them as they do in the films The Dark Side that the federation is fighting is the childhood obesity epidemic and the popularity of more sedentary video games They don't do any sport and only exercise with their thumbs," Aubailly told the AP "It's becoming difficult to [persuade them to] do a sport that has no connection with getting out of the sofa and playing with one's thumbs so participating in a sport feels natural." we want to breathe" take part of a march to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of Adama Traore whose case has mobilized broad anger against police brutality and racial injustice The demonstration in Beaumont sur Oise is honoring Adama Traore who died on his 24th birthday in July 2016 after an arrest in circumstances that remain unclear But it's also about broader anti-government grievances and climate activists are co-organizing this year's protest speaks to reporters ahead of a march to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of her brother wearing a shirt that reads: Justice for Adama without Justice you will never be in Peace Traore started by fighting for justice for her brother Adama who died in police custody on his 24th birthday four years ago Shes now at the forefront of a new movement for Black rights in France that aims to wipe out systemic racism in policing and challenge the countrys official vision of itself as a colorblind society arrives ahead of a march to mark the fourth anniversary of the death of her brother in front of the city hall in Beaumont Sur Oise (AP Photo/Rafael Yaghobzadeh)Copyright 2020 The Associated Press Demonstrators holding a placard reading "Generation Adama-Climate TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Closed Captioning / Audio Description Contact Us Careers at WPLG Terms of Use Privacy Policy Public File FCC Applications EEO Report Do Not Sell My Info 1.0 Host Exhibit Copyright © 2025 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC. This year, as usual, Le Palace cinema in Beaumont-sur-Oise (95) is joining in the fun, with a full program on the Heritage Days weekend. This legendary cinema is an important stronghold. Listed as a historic monument You'll know it as the setting for a number of films(includingLa cité de la peur) as well as a cult TV show: La dernière séance presented by Eddy Mitchell between 1982 and 1986 lovers of regional and architectural curiosities and the curious of all kinds are invited to take part in fun tours and workshops le programme est mis à jour en fonction des annonces officielles Eight people arrested on second night of violence as authorities issue details of Adam Traore’s autopsy Violence has erupted in the northern suburbs of Paris for a second night, with 15 cars set ablaze by residents furious over the death of a young man in police custody. The unrest began on Tuesday night after it emerged that Adama Traore, 24, had died shortly after being arrested in the town of Beaumont-sur-Oise. Authorities said an autopsy revealed Traore was suffering from a serious infection at the time of his death and that his body showed few signs of violence. He was taken into custody after interfering in the arrest of his brother in a case of extortion, a source close to the investigation said. Local prosecutor Yves Jannier said Traore “fainted during the ride” to the police station and paramedics were called immediately but were unable to revive him. Jannier said the infection was “very serious” and had “impacted several organs”, while the medical examiner had found scratches but no “marks of significant violence” on the man’s body. However, Traore’s family said it would seek an outside expert’s opinion before his burial. “The infection that Adama Traore may have been suffering from does not explain the causes of his death,” said the family’s lawyer, Karim Achoui. On Tuesday night, five members of the paramilitary police were injured in clashes, and nine cars set on fire, and several public buildings were damaged. One person was arrested. The unrest continued on Wednesday night in a series of villages situated near each other, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) north of Paris, where 15 cars were set ablaze and protesters tried to set a mayor’s office and a preschool on fire. “Eight people were arrested, some for throwing incendiary devices at security forces, others for trying to set a public building on fire,” said local government official Jean-Simon Merandat. Young people in the suburb said they were convinced that police were responsible for Adama’s death. We know if things don’t burn nothing will come of it The unrest comes as security forces are stretched to their limit after months on high alert for terror attacks and violent anti-government protests in which police have become a target of hatred. In 2005, when two teenagers were electrocuted after hiding in an electricity substation while being chased by police, weeks of riots erupted in France’s suburbs. The violence was seen as an urban revolt against the system from France’s “ghettos” which have grim high-rise buildings and high levels of poverty and unemployment and are populated by first and second generation immigrants who feel marginalised by society. You don't have permission to access the page you requested. What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. spoke to the press and supporters three days after the death of her brother Protests are growing in France over the death of a young black man in police custody The family of Adama Traoré has repeatedly challenged the official explanations of his death in a town outside Paris Authorities first said he died from a heart attack; later She noted that her brother died on his 24th birthday I couldn’t even give him a hug to wish him a happy birthday.” Adama Traoré’s case has attracted national attention in France especially because some protests in his hometown of Beaumont-sur-Oise have turned violent and spread to several other suburbs This is by no means the first outcry over a police-involved death in the Paris region — riots over a similar incident shook France in 2005 Paris activists are drawing on the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States to communicate their frustration and anger Assa Traoré spoke before a community march that drew a crowd of about 2,000 people a lower-income neighborhood outside the quaint core of Beaumont-sur-Oise who came out to show her support for the family says tension between young people and the police is not new here “There has always been a relationship of force We’re also thinking of recent events in the US in a scene that would be familiar to Americans a crowd of protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter” came face-to-face with lines of riot police in central Paris The event had actually been planned weeks before as a march of solidarity with American fellow activists said Adama Traoré’s death created a greater sense of urgency “We were already affected by the events in the US and now it touches us even more.” The protesters also chanted, in French, “Justice for Adama.” Both #JusticePourAdama and #BLMFrance soared on social media in the days after his death Paris authorities revoked permission for the planned march So the crowd of a few hundred marched around the plaza there are guns so the violence there is more powerful a protester who describes herself as an Afro-feminist “But there is also police violence in French neighborhoods.” Essiyé ticks off a number of names of other young men who died in incidents involving police including the two men whose deaths during a police pursuit sparked riots in 2005 Those days are what many people think of when they see cars burning in Beaumont-sur-Oise She has a twin brother whom she says is regularly stopped by police “He was stopped once by police seven times in a day And I have white friends who drink and smoke The Black Lives Matter movement in the US didn’t start the conversation about police violence in France making comparisons between race relations in France and those in the US can get sensitive “The French media is always interested in questions of racism in the US They don’t have any trouble identifying it and condemning it,” Essiyé said a heated argument takes place between a man eating at a café and a group of young protesters You are creating racism,” the man tells them There’s a lot of criticism here of American-style identity politics France is supposed to be strictly egalitarian and theoretically color-blind so there’s an emphasis on downplaying differences But many of these young black activists believe this makes it difficult to deal with the racial problems that do exist we realize that the lives of black people aren’t treated in the same way as the life of a person of another community,” says law student Théodore Jean-Baptiste So while France doesn’t recognize these differences because there is a difference in treatment.” Jean-Baptiste plans to keep advocating for media coverage of Adama Traoré’s death until delivered to your inbox every weekday morning Thanks to our sponsor PRX is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS: #263347402. Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker In March, Assa visited New York for a trip organized by YFE_agency’s Yasmina F. Edwards hosting a dinner attended by prominent figures in the fight for racial justice that included Color of Change’s Rashad Robinson and Kady Sylla of the King Baudoin Foundation among others; that trip and event were some of the first steps in taking Assa’s fight international and spreading the message of unity and justice sparked by tragedy to a worldwide audience Vogue spoke to Assa about the march she’s planning to commemorate the sixth anniversary of her brother’s death what she’s learned from her fight to find justice for Adama and the family and friendship rituals she relies upon to keep herself going Vogue: Can you tell me a bit about what you have planned for July 2 Assa Traoré: July 2 is the commemoration of the death of my brother and this is the sixth year we’ll be protesting to demand the indictment of the police officers who killed Adama We have a justice system that still primarily protects the police What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your fight to get justice for Adama The most important thing I’ve learned and thought about over the past six years is that if you are not white you can be killed without any sort of justice being handed down I’ve discovered that I live in a country that is really blocked when it comes to talking about race and the most important thing I’ve learned to do is gather all my strength and power—and the strength and power of others—to fight against all forms of discrimination and injustice I can’t stay in this country and just be a spectator; all of us have the right to participate in the rebuilding of France and the countries in which we live spiritually—to stay healthy and grounded while fighting for justice for Adama I don’t really dissociate my personal life from the fight and I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing I love and rely upon my family and friends; I love throwing brunches at my house and we try to go to new countries regularly I’m the family of a victim of police brutality I feel like I could become a victim as well What can Americans and other people around the country do to support your work We have a family foundation set up to honor Adama’s life, which people can donate to here I think it’s important to understand that beneath the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées and all the other ideas people have of France there is death and police violence and discrimination and racism especially if it’s for the first time; people everywhere need to take part in denouncing those things Ryan Murphy Has Finally Found His Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy The Best Books of 2025 So Far Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Adolescence, the British Netflix Drama That’s Quickly Gone Viral “I Didn’t Want to Box Myself In”: On Mayhem, Lady Gaga Crafts Perfect Pop for a Chaotic World Listen to The Run-Through with Vogue a weekly podcast featuring the most exciting stories and hot takes from the worlds of culture Never miss a Vogue moment and get unlimited digital access for just $2 $1 per month Subscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownPeople Are Tweeting #JusticePourAdama After The Death Of A Black Man In Police CustodyProtests broke out in France days after Adama Traoré died following his arrest last week. by David PerrotinJournaliste chez BuzzFeed News, France The family have now seen the body and are requesting a second opinion on the coroner's findings. Les gendarmes ont utilisé des gaz lacrymogènes pour disperser le rassemblement à Persan Black lives Matter everywhere #JusticePourAdama #JUSTICEPOURADAMA #JUSTICEPOURADAMA #JUSTICEPOURADAMA #JUSTICEPOURADAMA #JUSTICEPOURADAMA #JUSTICEPOURADAMA 2 H noirs sont morts aux mains de la police française en moins de 10 jours: Harouna Attoumani & Adama Traoré,ne les oublions pas #BLMFrance "2 black men died at the hands of the French police within 10 days: Harouna Attoumani & Adama Traoré, we are not forgetting." Because I am tired to wake up every morning to find out that another black person have been killed by the police ! #BLMFrance Parce qu'un "ici c'est pas les États Unis" n'est pas une RÉPONSE #BLMFrance "Because 'here is not the United States' is not an answer." Qd lundi "c est horrible ce qui se passe aux USA", puis mercredi"arrêtez la victimisation!" #BLMFrance "When on Monday it’s 'what’s happening in the US is horrible' then on Wednesday it’s 'stop victimisation!'" Tous unis avec nos policiers qui font face à la haine des émeutiers-délinquants de #BeaumontSurOise. "All united with our police officers who have to deal with the hatred of the rioters in Beaumont-sur-Oise." David PerrotinJournaliste chez BuzzFeed News, France The Makouta name is well-known in Congo but not just because of Gaius Makouta. His grandfather was Jean-Pierre Majouta-Mboukou a Congolese politician and a famous writer and researcher in linguistics. His political and teaching career led him and his family to France which is where Gaius was born in 1997 in Beaumont-Sur-Oise just north of Paris. Paul Pogba once said “there is only football in Paris” and this culture bled out into Beaumont-Sur-Oise and sucked Makouta in. Perhaps Makouta’s family would have had high hopes for Gaius to emulate his grandad politically or academically. Little did they know he too would make himself a big name in Congo in a very different walk of life.  Playing for several Parisian clubs at youth level, Makouta was given his best opportunity at Le Harve’s academy (who’s most famous graduate is Pogba) where he played at U15, U16 and U17 level. In an interview he gave while at Le Harve he said “my qualities on the field are power, tempo, and my heading. Off the field I am a very open, very sociable person who likes to laugh,” all qualities Makouta still possesses today. Having not been given an option to remain with Le Harve’s academy Makouta returned to US Créteil Lusitanos FC where he had first started playing football properly. Sadly, there too he was not given a path to the main team and a footballing career in France looked all but over.  Makouta was given a few opportunities as a substitute and one as a starter at the beginning of the season. Fans were impressed with his technical ability and were surprised he wasn’t given more opportunities. But with a managerial change midway through the season Makouta’s time at Longford Town would come to an end.   Beroe signed him for another season and Makouta’s stock rose and rose with several teams across Europe interested in his signature as well as being nominated Congolese footballer of the year 2020. With Beroe unable to afford the purchase option they had agreed with Braga, Boavista saw an opportunity and signed Makouta at the beginning of the 2021/22 season. Boavista were in desperate need of stability. There was uncertainty over the ownership of the club, the previous season’s stars Alberth Elis, Angel Gomes, Ricardo Mangas and various others had all left the club, and they were unable to register new players, but Makouta was up for the challenge. “I took another step forward in my career, arriving at one of the biggest clubs in Portugal, with a great history and incredible fans. I know that in this club there is pressure to always give more and I am sure that my characteristics and my way of being perfectly fit the characteristics of Boavista FC. I feel more than prepared for this challenge.” Despite the club’s rocky start to the season, Makouta looked solid in midfield and once manager Petit was brought in he became a key player in the new 3-4-3 formation. His ability to do a bit of everything in midfield makes him a perfect player to operate in the centre of midfield for Petit’s system. Whether it’s driving the team forward, playing that killer pass or stopping the opponents’ build-up play Makouta will do it.  Gaius Makouta’s evolution from a defensive midfielder with “power” and “good heading” to a box-to-box midfielder who “takes risks” has been noticeable as he has grown in confidence. After an incredibly difficult start to his career where doors were constantly shut in his face, he found his home in Portugal twice, first with SC Covilhã and now again with Boavista. I wouldn’t be surprised if Braga come back for Makouta in the future. If Al Musrati leaves he would be an excellent replacement though who’s to say he wouldn’t command a place in a team like Braga’s starting 11 already. I think Portugal is the right place for him for now and hope Petit can find a way to bring out all of Makouta’s many talents.  Date of birth: 25 July 1997 (25 years old) Previous clubs: Le Harve (France), Creteil-Lusitanos (France), Longford Town (Ireland), Aris (Greece), SC Covilhã (Portugal), Braga B (Portugal), Beroe (Bulgaria) His death has incited #BlackLivesMatter protests in Paris and around France Family members claimed that Traoré had entered a police van alive when he was detained and was found dead at the station The response to his death has largely been a grassroots effort. The French government has stayed fairly silent on the subject of Traoré's death. Instead, it has focused on the current state of emergency in light of recent terrorist attacks, and said it doesn't want to "cast 'suspicion'" on police officers A silent march was later held in Traoré's honor and #JusticePourAdama and #BLMFrance have been trending on social media in the hopes that his death will not be ignored The judge ruled the officers did not have a "clear awareness of an imminent and serious danger."