Posted on 11/06/2005 5:07:47 AM PST by Dane
Thousand cars torched in latest French riots Sun Nov 6, 2005 12:17 PM GMT
By Elisabeth Pineau
PARIS (Reuters) - Gangs of youths torched 1,300 vehicles overnight in the 10th consecutive night of violence in Paris's poor suburbs and major French towns, despite the deployment of thousands of extra police.
Cars were burnt out in the historic centre of Paris for the first time on Saturday night. In the normally quiet Normandy town of Evreux, a shopping mall, 50 vehicles, a post office and two schools went up in flames.
Authorities have so far found no way beyond appeals and more police to address a problem with complex social, economic and racial causes.
Evreux mayor Jean-Louis Debre, a confidant of President Jacques Chirac and speaker of the lower house of parliament, told France Info radio:
"To those responsible for the violence, I want to say: Be serious ... If you want to live in a fairer, more fraternal society, this is not how to go about it."
The deaths 10 days ago of two youths apparently fleeing police ignited pent up frustrations among young men, many of them Muslims of North and black African origin, at racism, unemployment, their marginal place in French society and their treatment by the police.
"Many youths have never seen their parents work and couldn't hold down a job if they got one," said Claude Chevallier, manager of a burned-out carpet depot in the rundown Paris suburb of Aulnay-sous-Bois.
But authorities now say the rolling nightly riots are being organised via the Internet and mobile phones, and have pointed the finger at drug traffickers and Islamist militants.
Overnight, 1,295 vehicles were torched across France, the highest total so far, police said. An extra 2,300 officers have been drafted in.
Seven police helicopters buzzed over the Paris region through the night, filming disturbances and directing mobile squads to incidents. Overnight, police made 349 arrests.
The number of incidents in the Paris region was similar to the night before, but in the provinces it was up sharply.
TARNISHED IMAGE
The violence has tarnished France's image abroad, forcing Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to cancel a trip to Canada, while Russia and the United States have warned their citizens to avoid Paris's troubled suburbs.
Villepin has combined a call for an end to the riots with dialogue with community leaders, youngsters and local officials, and has promised an action plan for 750 tough neighbourhoods.
"I'll make proposals as early as this week," the weekly Journal du Dimanche quoted him as saying.
But it remained unclear what could stop the violence, though some opposition parties have suggested a symbolic measure -- the resignation of Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy.
Accused of stoking passions by calling troublemakers "scum", Sarkozy has ignored calls to quit. A survey published on Sunday indicated his public image was holding up, even if many disapproved of his strong language.
Villepin also has ambitions to be the right wing's presidential candidate in 2007 and has tried to position himself as a much more consensual figure than Sarkozy; the effect on the crisis on his ratings is still unclear.
With no end in sight to the nights of wailing sirens, acrid smoke, stone-throwing and destruction, residents from all ethnic backgrounds are tiring of the unrest.
"My kids can't sleep at night," said a mother named Samia in Aulnay-sous-Bois. "They hear explosions, they see fires and they think they're in a war. When the slightest thing happens, they get anxious and say 'Mama, what's going on?'"
I wonder how we protect these cemeteries from desecration?
???? and you check in here? Mandrake is a poison. makes me wonder how you will turn out.
WTF??
The headline says Nights of rebellion of the wretched youths of France."
The article doesn't say much we haven't already seen. It should be in the English Edition tomorrow.
Marines with rifles. It's not like you need anything else.
I bet 30 shot on sight and 300 deported for violating curfew in each neighborhood might be a better approach.
Here's a statement from +Demetrios regarding the attack:
"NEW YORK - Archbishop Demetrios of America has expressed his deepest sorrow and his strong and unequivocal condemnation for the most recent hostile demonstrations and threats against the holy center of world Orthodoxy, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, in Istanbul, Turkey.
This latest assault took place last Thursday, October 28, when groups of Turkish nationalists and other extreme elements demonstrated in Phanar against the Ecumenical Patriarchate chanting slogans such as “one night we’ll come to the Phanar,” “go away Patriarch,” “Patriarch don’t test our patience,” “take the Patriarchate and go to Greece,” and the like. Before police intervened, the angry demonstrators reached the entrance to the Patriarchal compound, and placed a black wreath in front of the gate.
Archbishop Demetrios in his statement of condemnation said, “I express my deepest sorrow for the events that transpired outside of our Ecumenical Patriarchate last Thursday. The actions of these Turkish extremists-nationalists are appalling and condemnable in and by any civilized country. These are actions against a holy institution which survived and lives on through the centuries. It’s an institution highly respected by the entire civilized world. These demonstrators are short changing themselves and Turkey, as they paint a picture of uncivilized, petty, narrow-minded people.”
“As a Church and as Orthodox in America, we are in spirit and in prayer by the side of our Ecumenical Patriarchate, and we stand in full support with love and care towards our Mother Church as we are reassured that He Who has many times saved this Patriarchate and has protected it in difficult times will once again be next to our Ecumenical Patriarch and the Fathers of the Great Church of Christ and He will lead this crisis to a favorable result according to the teachings of our Lord, that God, ‘will not break a bruised reed, and smoking flax He will not quench, till He sends forth justice to victory’ (Matt. 12:20).”
Pres. Bush's (and Clinton's etc., etc., I know!) great friends, the Turks! :(
per Fox News
Three French policewomen severly beaten last night in Nice....calls for help were met with two hour response.
Police calling on armed forces intervention.
Thank you!
I'm fluent in French but I'm used to the Canadian accent so I have to get used to it.
They just mentioned Villepin's "proposal".
Quartier La Madeline--100 cars and a shopping center.
Calling them "youths."
Is that tonight? And isn't Le madeline deep in the heart of Paris?
Ha!
They just had some interviews with people in the Madeleine district--it looks like the citizens have been brainwashed by the French media as well. They all complained there was "nothing to do" for the "youths," nothing to "welcome them, to make them feel at home."
Not one mention of the religion of the "youth."
Well for the most part french media is state controlled, kinda of like an uber BBC.
Roger that!
Also, thank you for tuning into french radio for any news, very much appreciated.
Thanks for the info! I don't suppose Villepaininthearse mentioned any specific actions that were going to be taken?
Thanks, I started a thread with this. Islam is now doing a "reverse crusade" it seems.
Almost a death however, one disabled woman was doused with Petrol and lit on fire a few nights ago while she sat in a bus. She barely escaped with her life. Also shots have been fired at police and firemen. It's amazing that there have been no deaths, frankly.
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