Posted on 11/02/2005 6:24:41 AM PST by blam
Chirac Warns of Firm Response to Rioting
Wednesday November 2, 2005 1:16 PM
By CHRISTINE OLLIVIER
Associated Press Writer
PARIS (AP) - French President Jacques Chirac, intervening after six nights of rioting in suburban Paris, called Wednesday for calm and said authorities will use a firm hand to curtail what may become a ``dangerous situation.''
The violence, sparked initially by the deaths of two teenagers, has exposed the despair, anger and deep-rooted criminality in the poor suburbs, where police hesitate to venture and which have proved fertile terrain for Islamic extremists.
``The law must be applied firmly and in a spirit of dialogue and respect,'' Chirac said at a Cabinet meeting. ``The absence of dialogue and an escalation of a lack of respect will lead to a dangerous situation.''
Chirac's remarks were passed on to reporters by government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope.
The rioting, which spread Tuesday night to at least nine Paris-region towns, has exposed rifts in Chirac's government, with Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy - a potential 2007 presidential candidate - being criticized for his tough talk and police tactics.
It also has renewed debate about France's failure to fully integrate its millions of immigrants, many of whom are trapped in poverty and grinding unemployment, living in low-cost, sometimes decrepit, suburban housing estates where gangs dealing drugs and stolen goods sometimes are in control.
That Chirac intervened personally was a measure of the crisis. He acknowledged the ``profound frustrations'' of troubled neighborhoods but said violence was not the answer and that efforts must be stepped up to combat it.
``Zones without law cannot exist in the republic,'' the French leader said.
In Tuesday night's clashes, riot police fired rubber bullets at advancing gangs of youths in Aulnay-sous-Bois, where 15 cars were burned, officials said. Youths lobbed Molotov cocktails at an annex to the town hall and threw stones at the firehouse. It was not immediately clear whether there were any injuries.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy told Europe-1 radio that police detained 34 people overnight.
Sarkozy - blamed by many for fanning the violence with his ``zero-tolerance'' approach to suburban crime - defended his approach and vowed to restore calm. He recently called rioters ``scum'' and vowed to ``clean out'' troubled suburbs.
Housing projects to the north and northeast of Paris are heavily populated by North African Muslim immigrants.
Because of the unrest, Sarkozy canceled a visit to Pakistan and Afghanistan planned to begin Sunday, his office announced Wednesday.
The rioting began Thursday in the northeastern suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois after the electrocutions of two teenagers hiding in a power substation because they believed police were chasing them.
Officials have said police were not pursuing the boys, aged 17 and 15.
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met Tuesday evening with the parents of the three families, promising a full investigation of the deaths and insisting on ``the need to restore calm.''
In the northeastern suburb of Bondy, 14 cars were burned and four people arrested for throwing stones at police, authorities said.
From the school of Jimmy Carter. In other words...do nothing.
Chirac had better do something before this mess makes LePen
look good. Does Jacques need Viagra or Levitra for his
"firm response?"
Chirac had better do something before this mess makes LePen
look good. Does Jacques need Viagra or Levitra for his
"firm response?"
Chirac had better do something before this mess makes LePen
look good. Does Jacques need Viagra or Levitra for his
"firm response?"
These riots were as spontaneous as the Senate's closed door session.
Ol' Jacques must have attended the same governance classes as Kathleen Blanco...
Exactly what I would have said if I had gotten up earlier. I don't get it... what's the beef? Just another reason to riot.
"Once again the French use the appeasement approach to no avail. "
AND when things get really out of hand, they will be calling for the United States to bail them out -- yet again!
We must try to understand why the Muslims hate the French so much.
LOL.
I can understand why Americans hate the French, I can understand why the British hate the French, but I refuse to understand why the Muslims hate the French.
It will be interesting to see where the french nukes go after the muslims conquer france.
One out of every two babies born in France is Muslim. Consider this little riot the trailer for the feature film.
Ol' Jacques must have attended the same governance classes as Kathleen Blanco...
***
Or Mayor Noggin... :)
*L* Love the pic. Reminds me of a joke a military buddy of mine told me:
Why are the streets of Paris tree-lined?
Because Germans like to march in the shade.
So why are they cutting them down?
Because Muslims like to march in the sun.
"What more do they want?"
A complete French withdrawl from Francistan.
"No self-respecting cheese eating surrender monkey would ever talk or think that way."
I was remarking how this is the beginning of the end in France, when another poster made a valid point. Liberals are very slow to act, and will cling hard to their PC. However, if it becomes clear to the Libs that they are threatened, no one is more vicious, or brutal.
Should be interesting.
"Firm Response:
Extra starch in the white flags."
Now don't make me laugh out loud in my cube!
Nice.
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