France acts in a way most practical, to keep the fanatics calm and not stir them up to rioting.
Yeah, how is that practical thing working out? - No muslims have been rioting in France, right?
And America has not had riots?
French policies 'minimize' rioting, their policies do not 'eliminate' rioting.
Most French will opt for appeasement to prevent an outbreak of violence. The alternative to appeasement would be a harsh police state which they have evoked when riots occur. But when the rioting subsides, the French go back to sleep much as Americans do. They go to a policy of appeasement. We can criticize such a policy but as I mentioned the alternative is a harsh police state, and it would have to be continuing and constant until a policy of deporting nearly all Muslims was instituted, but that will likely never happen.
Compare with the USA; imagine a policy to 'round up' 20 million illegals and ship them back across the border. It can be done and more easily so than the French getting rid of their Algerians. Algerians in France are not the same as illegals in the USA. Algerians in France are more like Cubans and Puerto Ricans in the USA. The Algerians in France are mostly legal with historical ties to Colonial France.
The recent riots were brought on by policies that did not appease Muslims such as no vails allowed in public schools, proposals to eliminate job security protections, fomented violence caused by local Imams, etc. There is also a general frustration among Muslims in France as the French do not integrate and accept them fully. For example to get a French government job requires near perfect speaking, writing and reading of the French language. Broken French is not allowed. Same goes for the University system, a French accent, intonation and fluency is required for entry, no exceptions, no affirmative action, no bribes or payoffs.
The French did start deportation hearings on rioters that were caught. That shows they can be harsh when and where needed.
But by and large France has a policy of appeasement in order to 'minimize' violence. Because a harsh police state would have to go on for years and years proving an irritant to most French citizens.
But when push comes to shove (as during riots) the French are more harsh than Americans. Americans have had their share of riots too.
The point is there is no basis to criticize France for their appeasement like social policies because Americans have the same appeasement policies with Blacks and Hispanics.
Where France can be fairly criticized is in their delay tactics in the debate of enforcing UN resolutions in Iraq.
I am only passing along information that allows readers to get the context of the problem. It is mostly unknown to Americans how Muslims are part of French history.