Posted on 01/01/2008 9:34:24 AM PST by bahblahbah
PARIS - Vandals torched 372 cars as France celebrated the New Year, down on the figure last year after a night the police described as "relatively calm".
Cars are burned fairly regularly in France and the image of vehicles in flames in poor suburbs became symbolic of riots in 2005 when angry youths set fire to thousands of cars.
There is usually an increase in the number of cars torched on New Year's Eve compared to other days of the year.
"The night was relatively calm, without notable incident, there were very few direct clashes with the security forces," said a spokesman for the national police.
At 0500 GMT, the Interior Ministry said 372 vehicles had been burned -- 144 in the Paris region and 228 in the rest of France. That was down from 397 last New Year's Eve.
At the height of the 2005 riots as many as 1,400 cars were attacked in overnight violence. In protests over President Nicolas Sarkozy election last May, demonstrators set fire to 730 vehicles.
Police had stepped up their presence on French streets in anticipation of the year-end celebrations and the sale of petrol in cans was banned in some places.
Amish?
Nah! Bhuddists
Youths. Those pesky, pesky youths.
Don’t they know that burning cars contributes to Life-Threatening Global Warming? Or have they purchased the necessary carbon credits from Al Gore?
Close...
Amish-Buddhist youts
Interested American infidels want to know.
bump
Car insurance in France must cost a bundle!
No, the very first word says it was "Vandals"
"angry youths" is the next words used to describe these misguided peaceful young people.
Must be those Huguenots who are burning cars
Car-b-que ... at least the local police did not have to issue a stay indoors warning as the citizenty fired guns into the air, as is routinely done on New Years’ Eve in Greater (and lesser) Miami.
I understand that nobody in France wants to do “investigative” journalism into these car burnings, because the facts are unpleasant, politically incorrect, and liable to bring the bearer of news in front of a PC tribunal, accused of hate crimes.
But I am curious. Who owns these cars? Who pays the damage? Does everyone in France pay higher insurance rates so the owners can be reimbursed?
I can only assume that no one would park their cars in one of these “suburbs” other than the families of the “youts” themselves. Would anyone in his right senses park his car in the South Bronx unless he wanted to collect insurance on it? So, are these youts busy burning dad’s car? Their neighbor’s car?
Inquiring minds want to know. It seems as if this would be a major burden on the economy, having to deal with tens of thousands of burned out car hulks so the youts can entertain themselves.
The prime minister announced Sunday that a ban on smoking in schools, offices and other public buildings will start in February, while restaurants, dance clubs and some bars have until 2008 to comply.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/08/AR2006100800915.html/
The French have some misplaced priorities
Detroit Amish? :)
Hell Night reference (night before Halloween).
So, when France finally falls....
They have nukes. And a few decent subs. Maybe we finally get to do a full field operational test on those neutron bombs? American taxes paid for the invention, development, construction and storage of the dang things. It’s about time we get to see them used.
Just in case the issue comes up while I’m away from the keyboard...
I vote for France to be turned into a medieval theme park and live Renaissances Fair.
Why do French authorities put up with this ?
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