yeah, but the Rioting has dropped to an ACCEPTABLE level...
Posted on 11/09/2005 7:00:45 AM PST by ncountylee
FRANCE'S unprecedented mainland curfew has failed to deter the rampaging gangs intent on burning cars, schools and businesses across Paris and the provinces.
Early police figures put the number of cars burned during the 13th night of violence at 558, with more than 200 arrests. This was a significant reduction on the previous night's violence, but far from the immediate restoration of order demanded by French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.
As a special cabinet meeting approved the state of emergency law yesterday, rioting continued, especially in the troubled suburbs of the southern French town of Toulouse.
But the zero-tolerance strategy of the Government - under pressure from Jean-Marie Le Pen's far-Right National Front, which is exploiting the violence for its own anti-immigrant and racist aims - has gone down well with the majority of French voters.
A survey in Le Parisien newspaper found 78 per cent supported the curfew law and 58 per cent were "scandalised" by the sustained rioting, which has resulted in almost 6000 burned cars, 1500 arrests and the destruction of dozens of schools, nurseries, gyms, warehouses and small businesses.
There has also been one fatality. A 61-year-old man died on Monday from injuries sustained after he was beaten by a hooded youth in the Paris suburb of Stains.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy made a special visit to embattled Toulouse yesterday to support local law enforcement authorities who have been embroiled in battles with youths throwing firebombs and torching cars.
Mr Sarkozy said police in Toulouse were reporting a "fairly significant fall" in violent attacks.
Only a handful of suburbs and regional town prefects chose to invoke the curfew law, which was first imposed by France in 1955 during the civil unrest in colonial Algeria that predated the war of independence there.
The Paris suburbs of Savigny-sur-Orge and Le Raincy and the regional town of Orleans had already imposed their own version of curfews before the law came into effect. More are expected to sign up to the drastic law-and-order measures in coming days.
But there was consternation in some of the most troubled areas of Paris and the regions about the strategy. Under the 12-day period of the law, youths can be subject to two months' jail and fines of almost E4000 ($6400) if they are found on the streets alone, or in groups or in cars, after 10pm and before 7am.
In the south-eastern city of Lyon last night a Molotov cocktail was hurled at a train station, forcing authorities to shut down the public transport system.
In Bordeaux, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a bus, causing it to explode.
Mr de Villepin was cheered by his Centre-Right colleagues and jeered by many on the Left in the National Assembly yesterday when he explained the imposition of the curfew law.
"The Republic is at a moment of truth," he said. "What is being questioned is the effectiveness of our integration model."
According to the leftwing daily L'Humanite, Mr de Villepin with his curfew law had decreed "social apartheid".
Le Monde was scathing about the insensitivity of invoking a law that was used to oppress the Algerian parents and grandparents of many of the young French-born people of the suburbs.
My God! Even a curfew cannot stop them!! Is there no hope? Have we run out of options? I propose that we schedule a meeting!
"FRANCE'S unprecedented mainland curfew has failed to deter the rampaging gangs intent on burning cars, schools and businesses across Paris and the provinces. "
Mon Dieu!! Je suis shocked!! Tres shocked!!
Cry, France.... It's all you know.
ROFL. Good one. Yeah, that meeting oughta do it.
Nothing like a meeting or a "dialogue" to put the fear of Allah into a Muslim "youth".
It's kind of difficult to treat a severed artery with a tiny band-aid.
Too little, too late. It will take weeks for the French to get this under control, if ever.
Nah, just give them what they want. That should make them stop.
yeah, but the Rioting has dropped to an ACCEPTABLE level...
Solution: fix bayonets and march. Push them all into the Seine.
"Double epouvre serete".
It's good to see that unbiased reporting is a world-wide media ethic.
LOL!
To be honest, a strongly enforced curfew might quiet things down.
If they follow through with the idea of deporting all foreigners convicted of participating in the rioting, then they may shut down the riots for now.
Any long term solution is going to require serious economic reform. When 60% of the youth are unemployed, there's little hope. People without hope are easily motivated to violence by extremists.
Only a sincere and warm group hug will solve this problem.
STOP this instant! or I will Chastize you!
or
You better quit or I might get angry!
Executing the foreigners as non-uniformed enemy combatants will shut it down quicker.
Any long term solution is going to require serious economic reform. When 60% of the youth are unemployed, there's little hope. People without hope are easily motivated to violence by extremists.
Disagree. What is needed is cultural reform. Not economic. Islam is the problem here. Even if the youth were wealthy they would riot as long as they were islamic. They are commanded to fight agianst us.
The only solution is to convert them or to kill them. Giving them better economic options will only let them buy better weapons for the next jihad
Islam is the enemy
From now on you are on double SECRET probation!
That will quell the riots.
At this point the curfew is too little too late. The military should be called in to restore order with shoot to kill orders for fire bombers and looters. I'm sure the riots would soon fizzle if riot leaders were dropped by snipers.
What's the old joke about why did France plant trees down the Champs Elysee? So the Nazi's could march in the shade.
Maybe they could come up with something similar.
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