They very well could have suppressed this with military force. The international perception is what is driving the events now. I still say that they will tolerate this for months. The only downside politically, is if (BIG if) some cohesion develops within the French freedom fighters; and the unrest spreads to Germany.
It is rather odd that the rest of the world has such a muted reaction to these events. Rest assured that if this spreads to upper-class areas, there will be swift retribution. I believe that there have been such incursions on a small scale, and that news will filter out through the French Ministry of Information. So far they have downplayed the deaths pretty well. Imagine CNN sitting on a story of death and mayhem in America. CNNi has had to work overtime in putting a spin on these events. And the good old BBC is still playing it as an inconvenient "boys will be boys" episode.
They are terrified!
It's coming to a shire or provence near you very, very, soon and they are just about ready to soil their skivvies.