Posted on 03/28/2006 3:59:20 PM PST by Aussie Dasher
POLICE arrested about 700 people during disturbances on the fringes of a huge demonstration in Paris and in other French cities against a new youth jobs law today.
About 50 people were injured, including five police in the Paris violence, which continued into the evening at the Place de la Republique after the protest march ended there.
One of 4000 police deployed in anticipation of the violence was taken to hospital in a serious condition after being hit in the face by a "missile", police said.
As thousands of demonstrators ended their peaceful protest at the Place de la Republique, hundreds of youths began bombarding riot police with empty beer cans.
Police said about 1500 troublemakers and 300 anarchist militants had latched onto the protest march organised by student and trades unions.
The first signs of trouble began before the main protest march had even reached the square, when police used sticks to repel a group of hooded and masked demonstrators.
Shortly after 8pm (0500 AEDT today) police fired water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Earlier, police and union marshals intervened after a gang of youths stole mobile telephones and cameras from people taking part in the protest.
Masked youths smashed the windows of a cafe and tried to mug people near the starting point of the march at Place d'Italie, in the south of the city in a repeat of violence at demonstrations in central Paris last Thursday.
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, a presidential hopeful who has contested the employment law introduced by his rival Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin, went to the Place de la Republic to show support to riot police.
He was met with shouts of "Sarkozy resign!" and "Sarkozy, f**k your mother!" from groups of youths.
Mr Sarkozy, who riled rioters with his aggressive stance during violence in November 2005 in high-immigrant Paris suburbs plagued by unemployment, urged police to arrest as many troublemakers as possible.
At least one million people, by police estimate, participated in marches nationwide against the labour law, which was created to encourage companies to hire workers aged under 26 but also makes it easier to fire them.
A French union leader said three million people had joined in the protests.
There were also violent scenes in several other French cities.
In the southern city of Toulouse, youths threw missiles including empty beer bottles at police, who used tear gas to clear the city's main square and arrested nine people.
In Rennes, in the west, youths smashed shop windows and invaded the station, stopping trains for around two hours. Rioters and protesters opposed to the violence also started fighting each other. Police later arrested 11 people.
In the northern city of Lille, police arrested a dozen youths after battling crowds of rioters with tear gas.
SCREW THE FROGS!!!!!
Aww jeeze now the french are showing us up.
"As thousands of demonstrators ended their peaceful protest at the Place de la Republique, hundreds of youths began bombarding riot police with empty beer cans."
Since when do the French drink beer!?
Well, I don't really know how to guage French riots by arrests. I'm used to car burning counts. How many burned cars does 700 arrests equal?
Depends how many youths it takes to burn a car!
The Frenchies are all protesting these days. Here are youths throwing beer cans (empty, of course), and the other day, Chirac stomped out of a conference when a speaker said English is the language of business. It's all a good laugh.
What kind of laws exist where when you hire someone you have them for life , no matter how incompetent they prove to be. Thats plain silly. Obviously the Frogs know they arent worthy of these jobs since they want to keep these
laws.
bad enough in Amrica where we have to pay unemployment to people who are fired for not being worth crap.
Well, you can't throw an empty beer can very far eh.
Yutes on parade.
I saw a reporter tell a protester that no country guaranties a job for life to which the protester screamed "So? This is France!"
That's OK. There are other options. If I still want to visit a socialist Muslim country I can change my ticket and go to Algeria, so all is not lost.
HEY AD I did see this morning on Fox news Dayside so did French cops surrender???
I understand BOTH sides surrendered!!!!
ROFL I got question who is strongest
French protesters or French cops that kicker of the question LOL!
If they were masked, how does the reporter know they were youths? It can't simply be because of their actions. Everyone in France is acting infantile to begin with.
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