French riots rage despite warning

BBC Information news ^ | BBC

[anonymoussierra]

France has suffered its heaviest riot damage yet as warnings of tough prison sentences failed to deter arsonists. Police reported 1,295 vehicle burnings and made 312 arrests as unrest in African and Arab communities spread to Strasbourg, Toulouse and Nantes.

On the 10th consecutive night of riots, four cars were torched on Place de la Republique in central Paris along with others in the central 17th District.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy had warned of stiff jail sentences.

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In some areas of Paris, night buses were cancelled as a precaution.

Police helicopters patrolled the skies over the capital, attempting to pursue and identify those responsible for the attacks.

Unrest began after the deaths of two youths in the rundown Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois on 27 October, who were accidentally electrocuted at an electricity sub-station after reportedly fleeing police.

The northern town of Evreux in Normandy saw some of the worst unrest overnight with at least 30 cars burned along with three shops, the local authorities said.

A school was also petrol-bombed in the town while four police officers were injured in clashes with youths, some of them reportedly wielding baseball bats.

Saturday night's violence was the worst reported to date:

A McDonald's was rammed by a car and almost completely burnt out in Corbeil-Essonnes, south of Paris

Five classrooms of a nursery in Grigny, south of Paris, were destroyed by fire while a primary school was also slightly damaged

A recycling facility was attacked in the Essone area near Paris, with 800 sq m of paper going up in flames and at least 35 vehicles torched

In Drancy, north-east of Paris, two teenagers were caught and handed over to police after they tried to set fire to a lorry.

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Marches

Earlier on Saturday hundreds of people joined marches in Paris suburbs to protest against the violence.

In Aulnay-sous-Bois, which has seen some of the worst of the rioting, residents walked past burnt out vehicles and buildings with banners reading "No to violence" and "Yes to dialogue".

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met eight key ministers and the head of the Paris mosque, Dalil Boubakeur.

After the meeting, Mr Boubakeur urged a change in tone from the government.

"What I want from the authorities, from Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, the prime minister and senior officials are words of peace," he said.

Mr de Villepin has been holding a series of meetings with public figures and ordinary people from the affected areas as he seeks an end to the crisis.

Mr Sarkozy's much-quoted description of urban vandals as "rabble" (racaille) a few days before the riots began is said by many to have already created tension.

Reports of a police tear gas grenade hitting a mosque during the riots further inflamed feelings.

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[processing please hold]

Hello Sara, It's been out of control since the second night. They should have given them a strong warning, something like, 'if you don't stop this nonsense right this instant we're gonna...we're gonna...well, we'll think of something...eventually'. Meanwhile, france burns.

Ain't socialism in all it's glory something beautiful to behold? /sarc

[AmericanChef]

Cripes! I think people who set women on fire require something stronger than a warning!

[luvbach1]

Warnings won't dissuade the Infitadists. Neither will a shoot-to-kill policy (which has not yet been imposed and probably won't be). Not only do radical islamics have no respect for the lives of others, they have precious little respect for their own. Therefore the infitada will continue.

[Trident/Delta]

The REAL dnger to France, and by extension, the entire European collective, is that the further this goes unchecked, the bigger it gets. More and more Mooselimb Youts will feel compelled to play. I can see the adult anarchists joining the fun soon.

Semper Observation

[luvbach1]

All those in favor of ending military aid to the frogs, signify by posting Y. Can't we get their fat out of the fire one last time?

[N3WBI3]

Oh no! if stern warnings wont do it what will?

[anonymoussierra]

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“Chirac is selfish egomaniac; eto fore he hasn’t learn anything from his Sir Winston Churchill and history. Enemy have to eto fore be face head on with all force. Ore communistic weak Paris doesn’t understand or they do infore ignore dangers of situation of this. This is a test by muslims fore see if Western Europe have enough to stand up. I believe tribes of Ishmael are fore walking on path of destruction of which will come to them. We Europeans are nice people; fore old polish say is kick me once I kick you twice. France wake up!!!!!”

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thank you all

[luvbach1]

Dialogue not violence is playing right into these fanatics' hands! The "dialogue" will bring forth the escalating demands.

[anonymoussierra]

thank you good friend"pbrown"how are you?

[anonymoussierra]

"Chirac is more or less crumbling like some ancient artifact."Amen"DoughtyOne"Amen!!!!thank you

[luvbach1]

And to think the French had "degaulle" to look down their long noses at the way we (the US) handled racial strife (Watts and Rodney King riots).

[luvbach1]

Correction:

All those in favor of lending military aid to the frogs, signify by posting Y. Can't we get their fat out of the fire one last time?

[Trident/Delta]

Just out of a sense of morbid curiosity, I ventured off to DU to get a clear and decidely slanted perspective on the France unrest issue.

The DU consensus is that it is a poverty problem but not a religious one (yeah, right) and that the whole thing was fomented by the CIA to give W cover from the Scooter Libby indictment. (huh?) Mostly, they are rooting for "da youts"

Semper Disgusted

[processing please hold]

You're welcome. I'm fighting a nasty cold, but other than that great.

I hope all is well with you and yours.

[anonymoussierra]

thank you"Earthdweller"

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“Fore eto fore strong leadership is need it now; infore where is it? Nowhere; ino politicians have lost balance of reality and how eto dangerous is this situation. There were shootings from beginning.”

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[DoughtyOne]

No, you actually set up the premise with your post.

[anonymoussierra]

"Just out of a sense of morbid curiosity, I ventured off to DU to get a clear and decidely slanted perspective on the France unrest issue.
The DU consensus is that it is a poverty problem but not a religious one (yeah, right) and that the whole thing was fomented by the CIA to give W cover from the Scooter Libby indictment. (huh?) Mostly, they are rooting for "da youts"

Semper Disgusted"

---

“People are of balance of reality; fore they don’t understand danger of this. Pero uno individuals of this are like leaves in a wind. These people who understand are the wise ones; eto fore these selfish scribers of knowledge will run to nothingness. Absolute ignorance of their part; credo fore this people love appeasement and do not know humanity is at war.”

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thank you"Trident/Delta"

[anonymoussierra]

thank you good friend"pbrown"

"I'm fighting a nasty cold, but other than that great."

be strong good friend!!!!thank you

[processing please hold]

be strong good friend!!!!thank you

I wouldn't know any other way to be. :-)

[Ursus arctos horribilis]

"Reports of a police tear gas grenade hitting a mosque during the riots further inflamed feelings."

Whoowhee, the frigging terr perps who are burning and destroying, got upset over their muskhouse getting hit with a TG grenade? Poor wittle cry babies.