Overview
- The 14-year-old known as Hamza or “La Douane” was detained this week on an allegation of mobile phone theft, the latest in a string of police interventions after viral videos of his stunts circulated online.
- His online clips show repeated antisocial acts, including charging passers-by €2 with a water pistol at Canal Saint-Martin, spraying cyclists and police, and pushing a sunbather into a canal.
- His lawyer, Elsa Marcel, says the teen has been subjected to racist insults, threats and doxxing after the coverage and has threatened legal complaints against those she calls responsible for amplifying harassment.
- Critics and politicians have used the case to demand tougher parental responsibility and more youth-specialist resources, while some outlets and commentators argue the boy needs protection rather than punishment.
- Reporters note a pattern of repeated custody: police have taken him into custody multiple times since June 27, 2025, and the episode highlights tensions over how France handles juvenile offenders, strained social services and social-media-driven notoriety.