Posted on 01/02/2006 3:44:15 PM PST by blam
France to lift state of emergency
At the height of the violence, 1,400 cars were torched in one night
President Jacques Chirac says France will lift a state of emergency imposed in November during the worst unrest in the country in nearly 40 years. Emergency powers are expected to be lifted on Wednesday, more than six weeks earlier than originally planned.
The laws allowed local authorities to impose curfews, conduct house-to-house searches and ban public gatherings.
Almost 9,000 cars were torched and 3,000 people arrested in three weeks of violence.
President Chirac took the decision following a meeting with Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.
RIOTS IN FIGURES
* 8,973 cars burnt
* 2,888 arrests
* 20 nights of riots
Source: French police
A government statement said the president's decision will be discussed on Tuesday by the cabinet, which has the power to lift the measure by decree.
The riots began when two boys of North and West African origin were electrocuted in a Paris suburb after running from police, believing they were being chased.
Residents of the country's poor, largely immigrant suburbs, where most of the unrest took place, complained of racism and heavy-handed policing.
That's all well and good, but was the problem with the "youths" solved?
So, they at last have officially surrendered?
No, just declared everything fixed and Okey Dokey. Thats how Europe's problems are solved.
Yeah, time to lift the state of emergency: SNAFU.
The yutes are still rampaging, so it is a good time to lift this. The french, the only real surrender society in the world, but Germany, England and the netherlands are catching up fast!
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