To some, he is a harmless child. To others, he represents the downward spiral of society.Indeed, France has been left divided by the anti-social antics of a 14-year-old boy who has been tormenting Paris. The child, known as Hamza, has gone viral on social media for his disruptive actions across the capital.Such is his popularity, he is discussed regularly on TV news and has been interviewed by several media outlets. One television debate labelled him a 'symptom of a failing country'. He has recorded himself pushing sunbathing women into canals, shooting water at unsuspecting cyclists, getting into water fights with police and carelessly tearing through Paris's streets on a scooter while vaping. It is not just Hamza's behaviour that has angered many in France. 'What are his parents doing?' is a question regularly posted on articles about his latest antics.Hamza claims his father - who lives separately from his mother - is happy to have him roaming the streets: 'He leaves me alone because he knows I’m not doing anything bad. All I do is water people and the police from time to time.'That claim was supported by comments his father, who was not named, made to one Paris publication. He insisted Hamza is a 'nice boy', who 'doesn't hurt anyone'. His mother, when asked about her son's behaviour, insisted any criticism of Hamza was 'racist'. Hamza (pictured) was seen shooting water into a black Range Rover that had stopped near him He was seen pushing a sunbathing woman into a Paris canalThe racism baton is one her son is also quick to pick up. Asked about the countless comments criticising his 'stunts', he dismissively told France's CNews: 'People say I'm a thug. Most people are just racist.' But Le Figaro reported today that he was arrested yesterday for allegedly taking someone's phone. According to the French newspaper, the alleged theft took place at around 6pm yesterday. CNews reported that Hamza has been taken into police custody at least ten times since June 2025. In late June, he was taken in by cops for allegedly committing 'acts of group violence and vandalism.'Many of his videos have sparked anger. In one, Hamza and his friends are seen edging closer to two women beside a canal. When it becomes clear he is going to push one of them into the canal, she pleads with him to stop but he ignores her and shoves her in as he friends laugh at her distress.In another clip, he was seen strolling over to a police car in Paris and shooting water at an officer. He was seen in other clips shooting water at the drivers of cars. One video showed him squirting water at the driver of a Range Rover who had pulled up to the scene of one of his pranks. When Hamza got close he shot water at the man, forcing him to speed off to escape the scene. Hamza has been terrorising the city's cyclists, spraying them with water He was arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing someone's phone The boy was seen tearing through Paris' streets on a scooter while vapingCyclists were also big targets of the boy, who also managed to get others involved in his pranks. In one particularly cruel clip, he was seen leading a crowd of people towards a Lime bike rider, who was left soaked after the large group surrounded him then threw water over him, leaving him drenched. Hamza told French media that he had set up a fake 'customs check' by the Canal Saint-Martin, threatening to soak passers-by with a water pistol unless they gave him two euros - a scheme that has landed him the nickname 'La Douane', or 'Customs'.Some of his 'pranks' are darker. In a clip shared by National Rally politician Julien Odoul, Hamza was allegedly seen shouting into a woman's home: 'Shut your mouth, you filthy wh**e... in the name of Allah, your mother is a wh**e.' Odoul said in a post sharing the video: 'Leftists talk about a nice boy who only does water fights at the Canal Saint-Martin. How long are we going to tolerate the actions of this scum?' He added in another post about Hamza: 'In a normal world, the authorities would already have contacted Hamza’s parents and threatened to suspend their welfare benefits. 'But in France, this young person quickly understands that there is no one to stop him: not parents, or the authorities or the police or the criminal justice system.' One Lime bike rider was soaked by a crowd as he tried to cycle away In a French debate show about the ethics of Hamza's actions, one person said the teenager is a 'symptom of a failing country.'Pouria Amirshahi, a member of France's national assembly, told Le Figaro TV: 'We're in France in 2026. There are specialised educators... [but] there aren't enough of them. The amount of money given to social services has dropped so much.' Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Kanté - a Parisian councillor and former police officer - said: 'We expect everything from the state. I think at some point, we are going to have to make parents responsible. We know that sometimes parents are overwhelmed, but they also accept help from the authorities. 'It's easy to have children, but sometimes you have to take responsibility for them.' Many in French media have begun to weigh in. Alexandre Devecchio, an opinion editor at Le Figaro, wrote: 'In a normal country where adults still had the right to exercise their authority, Hamza would quickly be put back on the straight and narrow. Hamza was seen spraying a police car with his water pistol Hamza was allegedly seen stealing a bottle from a shop in Paris'But in France in the 21st century, in the absence of any limits being shown to him, he risks ending up in prison.' He added: 'The adolescent has become the face of everyday offending that ruins French people’s lives.'Left-wing newspaper Libération, however, said Hamza was actually a 'kid who needs protection'.