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Here's another take on the riots from(AP)via the Hindustan Times & HT Media Ltd. 2005. India News

Angry youths vent anger at France, insisting riots will turn to 'war'

Jamey Keaten (AP)

Le Blanc Mesnil (France), November 7, 2005
All French-born children of Arab and black African immigrants, this group of a dozen or so teens at Les Tilleuls housing project north of Paris complained of being marginalised by French society. Years ago, France welcomed their parents as labour, often to do menial jobs most French did not want, they noted. And now, there are no jobs -- or no one willing to give them one, they said. "This isn't good for anything," says Farid, 20, angrily shaking his French identity card. He and the others refused to give their surnames, saying they fear repercussions from police or in the community.

None of the youths said they have participated in arson attacks, but their sympathies are clearly with the rioters who have shaken France to its core in the past 11 nights of mayhem that spread across the country from tough Paris projects like Les Tilleuls. "The 'elders' of the projects have tried to calm us down, but we don't care," said 20-year-old Karim, gesticulating wildly with his arms and then concentrating on rolling a joint.

He said the rioting has unified various housing projects that previously fought between themselves. The target of their rage is Sarkozy, who angered many in the suburbs by calling neighbourhood toughs "scum."

"Before it was a gang warfare between different projects. Sarkozy's given us a common target -- the government," said Karim, who like the other young men refused to give his surname. "If they fire Sarkozy, we'll head straight to the police station, and pop champagne with them," said Bidou, 22, his baseball cap cocked to the side.

Before the riots, police rarely came round, and generally patrolled in cars with windows rolled up, the youths said. They have nicknames -- like "Lucky Luke" and "Cortex" -- for some officers they know.

They complained that police manhandle them during identity card checks, even claiming that some officers plant hashish on them as a pretext for arrests, and that they regularly fire off rubber pellets during sweeps.

"You wear these clothes, with this colour skin and you're automatically a target for police," said Ahmed, 18, pointing to his mates in Izod polos, Nike sneakers and San Antonio Spurs T-shirts.

Some see Islamic boogiemen everywhere.
This did not start because of Islam,
but it plays into the fanatics hands and may very well evolve into an Islamic movement.
Some link the French riots to those in Denmark even though the triggers were different.
The French get beat up here for their smug sense of superiority and rightly so,
but this is just the outward expression of the inner racism of the French.
Some say the problem with these people is that they are whiners, just go out and get a job,
and they are right to the extent that people with jobs seldom riot, become gansters or drug dealers,
but with employment opportunities scarce and faced with racist French who don't want to hire them what do they do?
They get frustrated, they get angry.
Couldn't they just use the political process?
Check out a post by Southack here and tell me what you think.

I'm not sticking up for any of the factions involved, I think they all suck,
but kneejerk analysis of the problem doesn't lead to understanding
and understanding is key to forming a wise response.