Priceless
Posted on 11/10/2005 12:11:48 PM PST by jb6
Paris — Authorities imposed curfews in the French Riviera cities of Nice and Cannes on Wednesday to prevent rioting, while the interior minister called for the deportation of foreigners convicted in the wave of unrest that has spread throughout France.
Looters and vandals defied a state of emergency with attacks on superstores, a newspaper warehouse and a subway station. Arson attacks continued after sundown, with a nursery school going up in flames in the southern city of Toulouse, RTL radio reported.
The unrest began Oct. 27 and has grown into a nationwide insurrection by disillusioned suburban youths who complain of discrimination and unemployment. Although many of the French-born children of Arab and black African immigrants are Muslim, police say the violence is not being driven by Islamic groups.
The extraordinary 12-day state of emergency, which began at midnight Tuesday, covered Paris, its suburbs and more than 30 other French cities from the Mediterranean to the border with Germany and to Rouen in the north — an indication of how widespread arson, riots and other unrest have become.
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The measures imposed in Nice also require some bars to close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the next 10 days, the regional government said.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who previously inflamed passions by referring to troublemakers as "scum," said 120 foreigners have been convicted for roles in the violence, and he called on local authorities to expel them.
"I have asked regional prefects to expel foreigners who were convicted — whether they have proper residency papers or not — without delay," he said during a National Assembly session.
In the past, Mr. Sarkozy has vowed that France would expel Muslim prayer leaders who preach hatred and strip them of their citizenship. More than three dozen imams whose preachings are violent or do not conform with French values have been expelled since 2003, he said last month.
Far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen told The Associated Press his National Front party has been "submerged" with prospective members and supportive e-mail since the rioting erupted.
Mr. Le Pen described the recent violence as "just the start" of conflicts caused by "massive immigration from countries of the Third World that is threatening not just France but the whole continent."
Mr. Le Pen said people with immigrant backgrounds who commit crimes should be stripped of their French nationality and sent "back to their country of origin."
The emergency decree invoked a 50-year-old security law that dates to France's colonial war in Algeria that empowers officials to put troublemakers under house arrest, ban or limit the movement of people and vehicles, confiscate weapons and close public spaces where gangs gather.
It also paved the way for curfews to be imposed by local officials. The Mediterranean city of Nice, as well as Cannes and Antibes, were among 21 municipalities in the Alpes-Maritime region where curfews were imposed.
Separately, in Normandy, the Seine-Maritime department announced curfews until Tuesday for minors in four towns, including Rouen and Le Havre.
During late Tuesday through early Wednesday, youths torched 617 vehicles, down from 1,173 a night earlier, national police spokesman Patrick Hamon said. Incidents were reported in 116 towns, down from 226.
Police made 280 arrests, raising the total to 1,830 since the violence erupted 13 nights ago.
National Police Chief Michel Gaudin said an additional 1,000 officers were deployed overnight, bringing the total to 11,500. He attributed the drop in attacks to police sweeps and cooperation from community groups.
"The arrests are bearing fruit," Interior Ministry spokesman Franck Louvrier said. "It's clear there has been a significant drop, but we must persevere."
Christian Gaillard de Lavernee, head of the national civil security brigade, said firefighters responded to 30 percent fewer calls overnight than the previous day. In some towns, concerned residents have banded together to keep overnight watch on public buildings and to patrol their neighbourhoods, armed only with fire extinguishers.
Riot police fired tear gas to disperse youths throwing gasoline bombs in Toulouse, and rioters exploded an unoccupied bus with Molotov cocktails in the town of Bassens, near Bordeaux. No injuries were reported.
Officials were forced to shut down the southern city of Lyon's subway system after a firebomb exploded in a station late Tuesday, a regional government spokesman said. No one was hurt. Transport officials said bus and subway service will be halted at 7 p.m. each day at least until Sunday as a precaution.
Arsonists also set fire to a warehouse used by the Nice-Matin newspaper in Grasse, national police spokesman Patrick Reydy said. Youths looted and set fire to a furniture and electronics store and an adjacent carpet store in Arras, in the north, he said.
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, detailing the measures to parliament Tuesday, said riot police faced "determined individuals, structured gangs, organized criminality." Police say rioters have been using mobile phone text messages and the Internet to organize arson attacks.
The northern city of Amiens, central Orleans and Savigny-sur-Orge, and the Essonne region south of the capital were imposing curfews for minors, who must be accompanied by adults at night. Two cars burned in Amiens overnight despite the curfew, compared with six a night earlier, police said.
Curfew violators face up to two months in jail and a $4,400 fine, the Justice Ministry said. Minors face one month in jail.
The state-of-emergency law was drawn up to quell unrest in Algeria during its war of independence from France. It was last used in December 1984 by the Socialist government of President Francois Mitterrand against rioting in the French Pacific Ocean territory of New Caledonia.
The recent unrest started as a localized riot in a northeast Paris suburb angry over the accidental deaths of two teenagers of Mauritanian and Tunisian descent who were electrocuted while hiding from police in a power substation.
More looting in Orleans.
The Big Cheezy?
the interior minister called for the deportation of foreigners convicted in the wave of unrestAlso: revoke citizenship. Send offenders back to N. Africa with a one-time payment to the receiving country.
I wonder if they make the prisoners wear panties on their heads. I don't think that's considered a torture in France. I bet Villepin does it as a hobby.
"In some towns, concerned residents have banded together to keep overnight watch on public buildings and to patrol their neighbourhoods, armed only with fire extinguishers."
Gee, that will stop the rioters, won't it, Chirac?
I thought they already wore panties on their heads.
I thought they already wore panties on their heads.Is that what those things are?
Islam, The Alleged Religion of Peace® ( TARP™ )? Click this picture:
No, I am not exaggerating. Click the pic, go to "last," and read backwards.
If you are not informed about this stuff, you will be made sick. If you are informed, you will be made mad, all over again.
Then, there is this little problem...
For "Thunder on the Border," click the picture:
Kindly note tagline:
These are not random targets. These Islamo-fascists are deliberately destroying key central food sources, print communications, public transportation and education facilities. They know that these few targets will not shut down the city, but they will make it impossible for the French government and media to hide this from the French public and the World.
Look for a second wave of destruction aimed at causing more public panic. Terror is the objective, not merely financial or physical pain.
The Certe should be be targeting the masterminds of this coordinated mayhem not just the Muslim thugs rioting.
Another thread comment pointed out that the rioters were using cell phones to coordinate their attacks. Hopefully the Certe is accepting the NSA's help in tracing back who is the root to the cell phone network.
The Certe might want to do some creative cell phone jamming in the trouble spots.
Too bad for all involved that Le Pen is very anti-American but also if one looked inside him, they'd find a large swastika.
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